Report: West Ham interested in £16m-rated Serie A star Gregoire Defrel, but Napoli may have a more attractive offer

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With Dimitri Payet, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini supplying the bullets, West Ham’s new striker would not be short of ammunition.

West Ham’s long search for a striker is showing no signs of reaching its conclusion with Napoli joining the race for Sassuolo forward Gregoire Defrel, Tutto Mercato Web reports.

The Hammers were left frustrated in their ambitious pursuits of Carlos Bacca, Alexandre Lacazette and Michy Batshuayi in the transfer window, the former duo electing to remain with AC Milan and Lyon respectively while the latter was eventually wrestled away by London rivals Chelsea.

Consequently, Slaven Bilic’s side have netted just eleven goals in eleven Premier League fixtures so far this season, their ongoing profligacy exacerbated by long-term injuries to Andy Carrol and Diafra Sakho while summer recruits Simone Zaza (below), Jonathan Calleri and Ashley Fletcher have failed to find the target in a combined 740 minutes of action in the top flight.

Consequently, Tutto Mercato Web are reporting that the Hammers, currently one point above the bottom three, have turned their attention to in-form Frenchman Defrel, who’s seven goals in Serie A and the Europa League means he has already equalled his tally from the entirety of last season.

The 25-year-old’s work rate and poachers instinct means he could be a viable replacement for Zaza with West Ham reportedly keen on terminating his loan deal, according to Football Italia.

Ironically, Defrel succeeded Zaza at Sassuolo when the Italy international rose the ranks to join Juventus at the start of last season and could repeat the feat at the London Stadium.

However, according to Tutto Mercato Web, West Ham have a fight on their hands to prise Defrel away from Italy, with Napoli also willing to pay his £16 million price tag.

The Serie A giants may also have the upper hand, offering Champions League football, for now at least, and guaranteed game-time with first-choice centre-forward Arkadiusz Milik (below) sidelined for the foreseeable future.