West Ham plan on recruiting striker Taiwo Awoniyi during the summer transfer window

ENGLISH Premier League side West Ham have stepped up their bid to sign Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi with the aim of prising him away from Bundesliga team Hertha Berlin during the summer transfer window.

Awoniyi, 24, who was once on Liverpool's books, in currently in the sights of several English teams, including the lines of Newcastle and Southampton.  West Ham manager David Moyes, however, is very keen to sign the towering striker having failed to replace Sebastian Haller since his move to Ajax in January 2021.

Striker Michail Antonio has carried the burden playing 94% of the West Ham's matches in the Premier League and has made 41 appearances with the Hammers this season. Nagged by persistent injuries over the course of his career, the 32-year-old’s output has suffered considerably due to the continued reliance on his availability, leading to him only scoring two goals in 2022.

Bild journalist Christian Falk, revealed yesterday that West Ham, alongside Newcastle and Southampton, are interested in signing Awoniyi who has a £16.7m release clause in his Union Berlin contract. Awoniyi is currently having remarkable season in Germany and has been praised for his work rate by Nigerian hero Jay-Jay Okocha.

Despite signing for Liverpool in 2015, Awoniyi never featured for the Reds and was sent on loan to Holland, Belgium and Germany before finally being let go last summer. This season he has scored 18 goals and provided four assists in all competitions, finding the back of the net 13 times in 27 Bundesliga appearances.