As pre-season gets underway, West Ham United have reportedly made contact to sign a much-needed striker to get their summer transfer business going once again.
West Ham's search for a striker goes on
After Michail Antonio and Danny Ings both left the club earlier this summer, West Ham have just one senior striker to call on as pre-season approaches. And even then, that's 32-year-old Niklas Fullkrug, who scored just three Premier League goals in his debut campaign at the London Stadium last time out.
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The Hammers have come forward to sign a midfielder, who is desperate to move to the Premier League.
Whilst Daniel Cummings has arrived from Celtic, the 19-year-old lacks first-team experience and may not be able to fall back on his excellent record at youth level in Scotland to earn a place in Graham Potter's squad. Instead, the West Ham boss simply must turn towards the transfer market in the coming weeks.
As concerns arrive over their lack of incomings, it could also be bad news for those at the London Stadium going the other way amid recent reports surrounding Mohammed Kudus. All signs are pointing towards a big-money departure, with rivals Tottenham Hotspur preparing a second bid to improve on their initial £50m offer.
Losing the winger would be an undeniable blow, especially to a direct rival in Spurs, but what Kudus' exit could provide West Ham is the funds to finally kickstart their own summer business.
If that does prove to be the case, then Potter may finally welcome a solution to his striker problems just when pre-season is getting underway.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, West Ham have now made contact in the race to sign Andrea Pinamonti from Sassuolo this summer. The Italian striker looks set to leave the Serie A club after returning from a successful loan spell at Genoa, in which he scored 11 goals in all competitions.
With Brentford and West Ham reportedly chasing his signature, it looks as though the 26-year-old is destined to swap Italian football for the Premier League one way or another before the end of August. Given how he impressed at Genoa last time out too, Pinamonti is not someone that either side will want to miss out on.
League stats 24/25 (via FBref) Andrea Pinamonti Niklas Fullkrug
Minutes 2,850 790
Goals 10 3
Assists 1 2
Expected Goals 7.7 2.2
A player who U23 scout Antonio Mango once believed would be a "great" signing for Inter Milan, Pinamonti has actually been called similar to Fullkrug by Football Transfers and could now get the chance to rediscover that path towards the top courtesy of West Ham.
The Hammers, meanwhile, would be signing an instant upgrade on goal-shy Fullkrug if they managed to fend off any interest from fellow Premier League side Brentford this summer.