West Ham United are eyeing a swoop for Fulham forward Aleksander Mitrovic, it has been revealed.
According to talkSPORT, Fulham are willing to sell their star striker following their relegation to the Championship, and West Ham are one of the clubs interested.
The Hammers will have to compete with Crystal Palace for the Serbian, as the Eagles are looking to strengthen their squad as well.
Mitrovic is keen to stay in the English top flight after a pretty impressive season personally.
The 24-year-old forward was involved in 14 goals (himself scored 11) in 39 appearances across all competitions, and was a constant threat for the Cottagers in the final third.
Aleksander Mitrovic would be a good addition to West Ham
A strong character both on and off the pitch, Mitrovic often bullies the defenders and serves as the target man for his side.
The 24-year-old can be a handful for the opposition with his physicality and is Premier League proven playing for the likes of Newcastle United and Fulham.
The Hammers manager, Manuel Pellegrini, often sets up his side in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-1-4-1 formation while they form up a 4-5-1 shape during the defensive phase of the game. Mitrovic can serve as the lone man upfront and using his physical nature, he can hold up the play with ease, inviting others to join him in the attack in the process.
The Serbian individually accounted for 32% of Fulham’s goals and finished the season as their top scorer. During the season, he hit the bar on five separate occasions and also garnered three assists, finishing top three in the assists chart for the London club.
Mitrovic’s passing, finishing and long shots from outside the box are some of the key areas where the Fulham centre-forward thrives the most.
The 24-year old’s aerial prowess is quite unparalleled as well; in 2018/19 campaign the Serbian won 240 aerial duels leading the charts for the most aerial duels won by a player in the league.
With players like Manuel Lanzini, Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson on the flanks, all Mitrovic needs is some space and he will score goals.
With all of the Hammers strikers ageing 30 and with Arnautovic’s status unknown after his winter Chinese saga, the addition of Serbian to the West Ham squad would surely inject a different level of energy into the dressing room.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored