West Ham are understood to have held talks with George McCartney over a possible return to the club.
The 30-year-old left back is currently out of favour at Sunderland, who paid West Ham £6.5million to take the Irish international to the Stadium of Light in 2008.The Hammers are thought to be looking to take the defender - who spent two years at the Boleyn - back on loan, although a permanent deal remains a possibility.
Herita Ilunga - the club's only fully fit left-back at the moment, with youngster Jordan Brown currently sidelined through injury - made his first appearance for the first team in six months against Cardiff on Sunday.
However it was a game to forget for the Congolese defender, whose mistake led to Cardiff's 90th-minute winner - an error that is thought to have prompted Sam Allardyce to step up his search for a full back.
Should McCartney return to West Ham on loan it will be his second loan spell this year, having spent time at Leeds towards the end of last season (2010/11).
And the Irishman will be hoping that it proves rather more successful than his spell at Elland Road, for which he was heavily criticised by Leeds chairman Ken Bates.
Speaking in May after McCartney insisted that he and his team mates were 'tired', Bates said: "He only played twice in the last six games. He has been fined more than once for turning up late in training.
"If he turned up on time and had a bit more commitment, then he wouldn’t feel quite so tired."
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