West Ham consider third transfer swoop for Serie A goal machine Giovanni Simeone

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Giovanni Simeone, son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego, is top of West Ham’s striker shortlist as they seek to sign some competition for Michail Antonio to bolster their chances of a top-four finish. The Jamaican international has been a revelation since being converted from a wide player and makeshift right-back into a bullish centre-forward, consolidating his reputation as a fan favourite at the London Stadium.

Antonio has six Premier League goals in 10 outings this season and while he remains David Moyes’ main man at the tip of his attack, there is mutual appreciation that West Ham are in need of some additional cover and competition at centre-forward following the club’s progress in both the Europa League and Carabao Cup.

The Irons sold club-record signing Sebastien Haller to Ajax back in January for £20.2million, taking a big hit on the £45m fee shelled out to Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2019.

West Ham are yet to replace the Ivory Coast international, who has been one of the stars of this season’s Champions League having netted seven times in just four matches.

Express Sport understands Hellas Verona frontman Simeone remains of interest, with the Hammers having previously explored a deal on two occasions earlier this year.

The Argentine was one of the names considered by West Ham back in the January transfer window but they were unable to strike a deal with Cagliari.

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A move was then explored once again this summer when a potential loan plus £14million option to buy was under discussion through intermediaries.

West Ham were working their way through a long list of potential striker targets after being offered the likes of Alassane Plea and Gaetan Laborde.

Roman Yaremchuk, who starred for Ukraine at Euro 2020, was also considered before his transfer from Gent to Benfica.

Simeone would later join Verona on loan for an initial £1.3m loan fee and £10.2m option to buy though and he was told he would be the main man at the club from the get-go, a promise that has been fulfilled.

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“(Hellas Verona) director (Tony) D’Amico called me and made me understand how much they wanted me,” Simeone explained last summer. “According to him, I could fit straight into the group – and he was right.

“Last year I was certainly not at my best level. After the end of the season, I gave myself a challenge – to give my best in all training sessions and all the matches and I started immediately, on my honeymoon!”

After training in the Maldives, Simeone headed to Verona for his new challenge and the 26-year-old simply hasn’t looked back.

He has netted nine times in 11 Serie A outings including four in the 4-1 win over Lazio before later downing Juventus with a brace.

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Verona are set to trigger their purchase clause to sign Simeone, – which now looks a bargain – complicating West Ham’s pursuit of the prolific frontman.

It’s unclear whether the Hammers will get the chance to hijack any deal and there is a feeling that they may have to consider other targets.

Simeone was born in Madrid during his father’s time as a player for Atletico and later moved to Argentina following some time in Italy.

He joined River Plate’s academy in 2008 and progressed all the way through to the first team where he won the Argentine Primera Division, the Copa Sudamericana, the Copa Libertadores and Recopa Sudamericana before sealing a return to Italy with Genoa.

Fiorentina soon swooped to sign the forward in 2017 after just one season in Serie A before Simeone eventually joined Cagliari in 2020 following a successful loan spell that saw him net 12 times in 37 outings.

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