West Ham attempts to sign a new number nine this summer have really focused on target men. The likes of Salomon Rondon, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and to a lesser extent Maxi Gomez, are all strong aerially.

The Hammers’ attack has, however, performed much better when there is someone up front who is more mobile. Although Marko Arnautovic can outmuscle opponents with the best of them, the Austrian does also have the pace to get in behind defences.

So why all the talk of target men strikers this summer? As we all know, the London club are working on a tight budget so why not look for a solution in the Championship where the going rate is far cheaper?

One player that comes to mind is Che Adams.

The striker is only 22 years of age and scored 22 goals in the Championship last season. The likes of Southampton, Norwich, Brighton and Crystal Palace have all been looking at the forward.

With a reported price tag of £15m, he would also present a far cheaper alternative than the likes of Gomez (£44m) and Mitrovic (£30m) while he would provide a different option to Rondon.

Adams scoring record has been a bit patchy in recent seasons. He bagged just nine in all competitions last campaign, but he is a player that is developing his game, and will only improve in the coming years.

He has a good deal of pace, likes to dribble with the ball and is a major threat on counter-attacks. He likes to shoot from long range and is very capable of linking up play with teammates.

Adams does not hold up the ball and win many aerial duels but he is capable of making penetrative runs. In the past, he has played out wide, but his best performances have been through the middle.

At Birmingham, he has played up front with Lukas Jutkiewicz for most of the season, so he would need to get used to playing as a lone striker, but with good enough support from the wings and midfield, he would be a major threat.

With the Blues having significant problems with Financial Fair Play, having had a nine-point deduction last season, a sale could be on the cards too. Manager Garry Monk was open to the possibility early last month:

“We don’t want our best players going anywhere – but football is football, it can happen. Number one, it has to suit the club. If that type of situation does evolve and it suits the club and it’s the right thing for the club financially then, of course, that’s how football works.”

Whether West Ham will consider any targets like Adams this summer, we shall have to wait and see.