According to Italian news outlet Il Resto Del Carlino, West Ham United are set to vie with Newcastle United for the signature of Bologna forward Mattia Destro. Manuel Pellegrini’s side have lacked the teeth of late and could look to add the Italian forward to beef up their attack.
The Hammers have bounced back well from their disastrous start to the season and are currently placed at the 10th spot in the Premier League table. However, there have been speculations of their talisman Marko Arnautovic leaving the club for the cash-rich Chinese Super League, which has led to the Chilean looking for a viable replacement for the Austrian marksman.
Arnautovic has been the saviour for his side on a number of occasions this season and has notched up seven goals so far. His departure from the team would leave a big hole in the West Ham Attack, and this is where Destro comes in.
The 27-year-old former AC Milan striker has a very mature head on his shoulders when it comes to decision making on the field. He has been a significant figure in the attack for Bologna since his arrival at the club in 2015. However, this season, all has not been well for the forward as he has made only nine appearances so far for the Serie A club and has failed to score any goal.
The report also says that the player’s agent was in London, which is an indication that Destro is not happy with his role of playing second fiddle under the tutelage of current Bologna manager Filippo Inzaghi. West Ham United are reportedly willing to take the opportunity to get the player into their side but might face resistance from fellow Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
It will be a shrewd acquisition for Pellegrini if he manages to land the Italian forward as the player has a good experience at the top level. With the likes of Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez all failing to step up to the occasion this season, Destro could be the one to share the workload of Arnautovic or even replace him in case the former Stoke City ace leaves London Stadium.
It would be suicidal for Pellegrini to let the hard-earned advantage his side has gained slip by as he should be calculative in his decision making for the rest of the season. With his high work rate and ability to score goals from half chances, Mattia Destro could be a risk worth taking for the Chilean if he can land the Italian in the January transfer window.
