West Ham target striker duo as Gianluca Scamacca saga drags on

West Ham will look to bring in a new striker before letting Gianluca Sacamacca go this summer, as they make a double approach for two forwards, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Italian newspaper has reported in its print edition [27 July, pg 14] that West Ham have targeted moves for Chelsea striker Armando Broja and AC Milan’s Divock Origi this summer, as they look to strengthen their forward line, although both discussions have been unsuccessful.

It has been shared that Scamacca will not get his preferred move back to Italy if the Hammers are unable to sign a new striker, despite the Italian dropping plenty of hints both in the media and via his social media channels that it is his desire to return to his home country.

The Scamacca saga could continue to drag on throughout the summer as a back-and-forth between West Ham and multiple Italian clubs continues, with a new stance seemingly emerging with every coming day.

Jose Mourinho’s Roma side have seemed to be the favourites to land the striker throughout the window, with Scamacca a fan of the club, but both AC Milan and Inter Milan have shown their interest, with the latter expected to move late in the window if they cannot complete other moves.

West Ham’s move for Broja was unsuccessful as reports suggested they were unwilling to meet Chelsea’s valuation of around £30million, with this becoming somewhat of a recurring theme as the Hammers’ move for Conor Gallagher is also being held up by unrealistic fees.

The move for Origi saw the former Liverpool striker turn down a move to East London, as he wishes to stay and prove himself with the Italian giants, who reached the Champions League semi-finals last season.

If a move for Scamacca does happen this summer, it seems like it will be late in the window, as the saga continues to drag on.

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According to Il Bianconero (via Sport Witness), the Hammers, alongside Fulham and Everton, are keen on Iling-Junior and have made ‘concrete’ moves to try and bring the player to England.

The English sides have all ‘concretely come forward’ to assess the youngster and their respective next moves.

It is understood that Juventus are flexible in allowing the 19-year-old to leave, either through a permanent sale or a loan with an obligation to buy.

The Old Lady values the winger, who can also play as a left wing-back at around €20m (£17m) and his contract in Italy doesn’t expire until 2025.

What is Samuel Iling-Junior’s style of play?

Iling-Junior began his career in Chelsea’s academy system in 2011, spending nine years with the West London outfit.

However, in 2020, he decided to leave the Blues and signed a deal later that year with Juventus. In 58 appearances for the Italian youth teams, he registered 29 goal contributions.

Thanks to this string of impressive performances, he made his Serie A debut in October 2022, coming on as a late substitute for Filip Kostic against Empoli. Later that month, the 2003-born gem then made his first Champions League appearance against Benfica, and within six minutes, he created an assist for Arkadiusz Milik.

At the end of last season in May, Iling-Junior made his first Serie A start and netted his first goal with the Senior side in a 2-0 victory over Atalanta.

In a short space of time, the forward has already forged a promising reputation thanks to his exciting talent and buzzing dynamism.

Michele Neri from Eurosport Italy has eulogised his potential, saying: “He has a great sense for dribbling and a speed from a standing start that other Juventus players do not have.

“He is an assist machine, but he can also score, especially when his movements off the ball allows him to find space in the penalty area.

“However, with the first team he has only scored one goal so far… so in terms of the next thing to work on I would say he can turn more chances into goals.”

From a West Ham perspective, Neri’s most telling comment is that the £11k-per-week starlet is a “very quick player, who loves to take on opposing full-backs and attack the vertical spaces, in a very direct way.”

This description bears much similarity to Jarrod Bowen, who has been of the Irons’ most important assets in recent times.

In the 2021/22 season, the 26-year-old recorded 24 goal involvements in the league and became the first West Ham player to record ten goals and assists in a single campaign since Paolo Di Canio in 2000. That year, Bowen was named the Players’ Player of the Season.

He continued the most recent campaign in an instrumental, as he was the club’s top league scorer with six goals, and engrained his name into Hammers folklore with a last-ditch winner in the European final against Fiorentina.

If the four-cap international ever possibly saw his future away from the London Stadium, then Iling-Junior, who has been described as “flamboyant” by Jacek Kulig, could be the heir to step into his claret throne.