Report: Irons line up new striker

The Hammers this morning are being linked to a move for Nantes striker Emiliano Sala.

The Daily Mirror claims Fulham and Crystal Palace in pursuit of the Ligue 1 attacker, who is valued in the region of £15m by the French club.

The 28-year-old is currently the third-best goal-getter in the French first division with 11 goals to his name in 14 league matches.

Sala started his career at FC Girondins Bordeaux and has taken in spells at US Orleans, FC Niort and SM Cain before his 2015 move to Nantes in the summer of 2015. Since then, Sala has gone on to become one of the most prolific forwards in the Ligue 1.

Sala is a physical striker and is a dominant figure in the air at both ends of the pitch. The Argentine frontman is an experienced finisher inside the opposition penalty area.

ClaretandHugh says: An Argentinian, Sala may be a target that we can take a little more seriously than many although his passing game is not the best from what we hear. However, with Andy Carroll out of his contract at the end of the season, it’s interesting that we are being linked to a character who, on the face of it, sounds something like an AC lookalike. That he is South American is also worthy of note and somebody the manager and Mario Husillos may have known about from former days. However, caution is the byword at this time of the year with the silly season in full swing and no doubt we will hear of many more being linked over the next two or three weeks. However, it asks some interesting questions about AC’s future and whether manager Manuel Pellegrini sees a genuine future for him at this club with that two year option still under consideration.