West Ham have made Inter Milan star Mauro Icardi their number one transfer target this summer.
According to the Mirror, David Gold and David Sullivan have identified the Inter Milan striker as their top priority this summer as they look to kick off their tenure at the Olympic Stadium in style.
Icardi is just one of a long list of strikers the club have been linked with in the last few weeks as the club look to bolster their options in the final third ahead of a likely European campaign next season.
The 23-year-old striker was part of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy from 2008 to 2011 before joining Sampdoria on a six-month loan while they were in Serie B and was hugely impressive for their reserve side prompting the club to trigger his €400,000 buy-option in the loan contract.
During the 2012/13 season, Icardi broke into the Sampdoria first-team following their return to Serie A, netting 10 goals in 31 games which was enough to attract the interest of Inter Milan who shelled out €11.7m for his services.
Since arriving at the San Siro, Icardi has scored 47 goals in 88 Serie A games and 52 in 105 in all competitions for Inter Milan who have since made him their captain in a move to keep him at the club.
The likes of Arsenal have come calling for Icardi, who has one international cap for Argentina to his name thus far, but the striker is said to be very keen on a move to West Ham who’re willing to meet his €35m (£27.5m) release clause and match his wage demands – something Arsenal are yet to agree to.
Icardi has also spoken with fellow Argentine Manuel Lanzini about a move to East London and is believed to be interested in doing so.
West Ham had held interest in Marseille’s Michy Batshuayi, but believe the €40m asking price is too high. The Belgian international’s former club Standard Liege are owed a large percentage of the striker’s next transfer fee which has caused Marseille to over-inflate their price-tag for the 22-year-old.
He has also recently signed a new long-term deal until 2020 and has stated on many occasions recently that he is happy at the club and is not looking to leave anytime soon.
Another name on the Hammers’ wish-list was Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette. The France international striker was said to be subject of a club-record bid from the Hammers but the club have since turned their attentions to Inter’s Icardi.
