West Ham among bookies favourites to sign Mario Mandzukic

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Premier League side West Ham United could do with a powerful, aggressive centre-forward like Serie A champion Mario Mandzukic.

It seems that Manuel Pellegrini’s start to life at West Ham United is not going as he had hoped.

According to the Mirror, Pellegrini is already at odds with the club’s much-maligned owners having been knocked back in numerous attempts to strengthen his squad.

Co-owners Davids Gold and Sullivan have been heavily criticised by supporters for failing to invest adequately in the team and it seems that Pellegrini, like David Moyes and Slaven Bilic before him, faces a behind-the-scenes power struggle in his attempts to bring top class talent to the London Stadium.

So the chances of Mario Mandzukic arriving this summer look slim.

Nonetheless, Sky Bet have made West Ham 8/1 second favourites to land the Juventus striker behind Manchester United.

The Hammers have been linked with the Croatian front man in recent seasons; the Sun claiming that they were scouting him back in 2016.

And, while his best years may be behind him at 32, Mandzukic remains a top class striker and a serial winner. He has lifted the Serie A title in each of his three seasons with Juventus and also won trophies with both Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.

The unselfish, hard-working Mandzukic only netted ten goals for Juve last season, but that has a lot to do with the fact that he has been used in a left wing role by Max Allegri to accommodate Gonzalo Higuain and Paolo Dybala.

In 131 games for Bayern and Atletico, Mandzukic scored 68 times.