West Ham are said to be targeting three Premier League strikers this summer as they bid to finish next season with European qualification.
The Hammers are looking to add some much-needed firepower to the squad after strikers Andy Carroll and Andre Ayew managed a combined total of 12 goals in the league last season. Midfielder Michail Antonio finished the season as the club’s top scorer in the league with just nine goals, and Slaven Bilic is determined to complete the signing of a natural goal scorer this summer.
Bilic is believed to have a shortlist of three strikers from three of the Premier League’s top 4 clubs, with Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi, Mancheser City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge named as options for the manager.
It is widely reported that Batshuayi will seek a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer if Chelsea agree to sign another striker. The Belgian international arrived at the club last summer for £33m from Marseille, but he is said to be disappointed with his lack of game time at the club. The 23-year-old is a proven finisher, and scored the goal that crowned Chelsea champions in the 16/17 season. However, West Ham will face stiff competition from AS Monaco for the striker’s signature – especially if the Ligue 1 side lose their prized asset Mbappe.
Iheanacho has been a known target of West Ham for some time, and the Nigerian international is almost certainly on his way out of Manchester this summer with his club deeming him surplus to requirements. Manchester City already possess several quality strikers in Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, with the club also rumoured to be interested in signing Pierre Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund. At just 20 years-old, Iheanacho has already left his mark on the Premier League and has proven that he can score goals at the highest level. A fee of £20-25m has been quoted for the striker, but this could be subject to change with reports that Leicester City have declared an interest.
In April, Bilic discussed the possibility of signing Daniel Sturridge for West Ham, calling the striker “unbelievable” whilst also saying that the England international is the sort of striker the club is looking for. Liverpool are rumoured to be leaving the door open for Sturridge to leave this summer, with Klopp also an admirer of Manchester City target Aubameyang. Sturridge has struggled with injuries in recent years, but the 27-year-old still shows glimpses of brilliance when fully fit. The striker would certainly be a class signing for The Hammers should he keep his injury woes at bay.
There’s a long summer of transfer business ahead, but there are already some early signs of encouragement for West Ham.