West Ham are looking at every striker with a top six club unable to get regular first team football as targets this summer.
As reported here earlier the Irons remain very keen on Chelsea’s Michy Batshuyai but Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho (above) is another top target with both expecting to cost between £25 – £30 million.
However, the terms of reference could include Manchester United’s Anthony Martial while highly rated City prospect Patrick Roberts (20) – who scored 11 times for Celtic while on loan this season – could be invited to spend another campaign on loan – at the London Stadium.
Iheanacho has been mentored by ‘on-his-way to the Hammers’ Pablo Zabaletta with a source telling us only minor details remain to be tied up with the player’s agent.
The Argentine international right back has been a big admirer of the 20 year old Nigerian who featured in a video singing the defender’s praises on his farewell from City last season.
Iheanacho is currently on a wage of around £35,000 a week but will get a hefty rise should he agree to a London Stadium move which could double his personal terms.
A Hammers source said: “Ideally we want a new front line striker as a permanent signing and another on loan or bought if the selling club insists.”
I like Patrick Roberts but assessing him based on Scottish football is damn near impossible.In the last few years players have moved up there from league one and two teams and scored a bag full…
I would love to have Iheanacho and Batshuayi as our main strikers. Carroll as a plan B (if fit)
And then Antonio and Ayew as back up again if needed.
Snodgrass, Feghouli, lanzini, Ayew and Antonio will all be fighting for wing places.
Zabaleta as our main right back is decent, should be able to give Byram a bit of guidance too!
I do think we have the spine and the mould of a really decent squad, we just need to sharpen it at the edges!