After a tough first season at the London Stadium, West Ham fans are in need of some good news in the months ahead, good news in the form of that big name summer signing they have all been pining for over the past few summers.

In the months leading up to their maiden term in Stratford the owners promised a big money striker. None came and eventually the fans were offered Simone Zaza on loan as recompense, and we all know what happened there.

With his side still lacking goals, Slaven Bilic will need to invest up top once again this summer. One man strongly linked with a move to east London is out-of-favour and injury stricken Liverpool striker, Daniel Sturridge.

The former Manchester City and Chelsea man, who was the star alongside Luis Suarez as former Reds manager Brendan Rodgers took them agonisingly close to the Premier League title, is reportedly willing to consider a move this summer, and it seems Bilic is also keen on the deal.

Speaking on the England international, the Hammers boss said recently:

“When he is on fire, he is a great player. We are going to see. We have our list of strikers. If you go back two or three seasons he was unbelievable.

“He plays very rarely but I watched Stoke against Liverpool. He came on and, with a couple of passes, he broke their defence.

“So of course he is showing that when he plays, but he plays very rarely.”

His injury worry, however, will be a worry for Hammers fans. Having pulled their hair out over Andy Carroll’s stop start career after his move from Merseyside, there is no mood for more of the same from their next addition.

However, as Bilic noted, when he is fit and on fire, there aren’t many like him in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has 72 top flight goals from 181 appearances under his belt, if the technical staff at the London Stadium can work to keep him injury free they’ll have one hell of a player on their hands.

Furthermore, whilst Carroll offers something completely different to Sturridge, the Liverpool man would appear to fit well with Bilic’s attacking lines.

With the likes of Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio pulling the strings with quick and attractive football in the spaces around the No.9 spot, a quick and clever striker is all they need to find the gaps between the opposing back four and bag plenty of goals across the season.

A move for Sturridge is a gamble, and could well be an expensive one. However, if the Hammers want to be back amongst it in the Premier League it is one they must take.