West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson is keen to run the rule over New York Red Bulls defender Tim Ream.

Hodgson is happy to give the defender a chance to experience being with a Premier League club, but is unsure if it will lead to anything more permanent.

"Andy Marriott (Albion's assistant sporting and technical director) was over in the US recently chatting to the MLS and the New York Red Bulls because Tim Ream is one of their interesting young players," said Hodgson in the Birmingham Mail .

"They agreed it would be nice to spend a week with a Premier League club and we were happy to oblige. I don't know if it will lead to anything more.

"He's only played a few times for the US national team and I don't know his club are desperate to sell him. We already have a very good young 20-year old centre-half in Craig Dawson who we believe in very strongly.

"It'll be nice to have him here but who knows?

"It's not easy to buy players from the US these days unless they've played (regular) international games."