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West Ham eye up 26-year-old Premier League striker

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According to The Athletic’s Daniel Taylor, West Ham United are interested in signing Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi this summer.

The Hammers have a busy summer ahead of them as new manager Julen Lopetegui aims to improve upon the squad and performances of last season under David Moyes.

West Ham finished ninth in the Premier League, failing to qualify for European football which will be disappointing for supporters, but will also allow the incoming boss to develop and put his philosophy into place while focusing on only domestic football over the next 12 months.

In terms of signings this summer, Lopetegui has wasted no time at all getting stuck into making signings with a move for Fabricio Bruno already reportedly completed.

However, one of the most pressing concerns to address over the coming weeks is finding a striker who will be a worthy replacement for Michail Antonio, as going into a new campaign with just a 34-year-old centre-forward to rely on makes little to no sense.

It has been revealed today by Nottingham Forest’s correspondent for The Athletic in a Q&A for the publication that goal-scorer Taiwo Awoniyi is attracting strong interest yet again from the East London club.

Daniel Taylor claimed:

“Awoniyi is another player getting interest from potential buyers. I know Forest would rather keep him though. Chelsea tried for him in the January transfer window. David Moyes was also keen and West Ham still like him.”

“His value has diminished because of the number of games he has missed through injury. But we’ve seen what he can do when he’s in good condition.”

Should West Ham sign Taiwo Awoniyi?

There is no doubt that signing a striker who already possesses Premier League experience would be a massive advantage for the Hammers in their quest to find a centre-forward who can hit the ground running when the new season commences.

Awoniyi has impressed on several occasions for Forest over the last two seasons in the top flight, however, his injury record is a concern if he is going to be considered to replace Antonio at the London Stadium.

The Nigerian marksman missed 12 games for the Tricky Trees last season and 15 in the season before that, but his output when he has been on the pitch has been undeniable and his finishing ability has never been in doubt.

Over 47 Premier League appearances so far, the 26-year-old star has scored 16 goals and delivered four assists with a 46% shooting accuracy, which is a decent output considering his fitness woes.

With that being said, if Awoniyi could stay fit he could be a real asset to the Hammers in the years to come, especially if the club can get him at a cut price from Nottingham Forest this summer.

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