A recent report by The Sun suggested that West Ham United are interested in snapping up Luis Muriel this summer.
Despite recently signing a new deal with Sampdoria, Muriel is keen to leave the Serie A club with a number of potential suitors monitoring his situation.
The Hammers are one of these sides as we look to bolster our attacking options.
Our top scorer last season was winger Michail Antonio as we once again failed to address the striker crisis in the 2016 summer transfer window.
Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho spent much of the year out injured while loan duo Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri both proved to be out of their depth in the Premier League.
Enner Valencia is likely to be moved on this summer and young duo Ashley Fletcher and Toni Martinez are not considered ready for first team football just yet.
Here we take a look at Luis Muriel and what he could offer West Ham if we signed him.
Versatility
Luis Muriel is predominantly a striker but that is not his only position.
The Colombian international has also been known to play as a central attacking midfielder or as a winger.
Sometimes, due to his qualities, he performs better in a slightly deeper attacking position.
Dribbling
According to WhoScored, Luis Muriel’s main skill is his dribbling.
This makes him a dangerous player to have in the attacking midfield region.
Other than Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini, West Ham are lacking players who dribble at the opposition defence with intent.
Speed
The 26-year-old is also known for his speed.
A genuine pacey winger or striker is on Slaven Bilic’s summer wishlist and Muriel certainly fits the bill.
Goal record
Luis Muriel netted eleven goals in Serie A last season.
The Colombian forward has never been prolific in his career but he always weighs in with a respectable tally of goals.
Lack of aerial presence
Standing at 5ft 10in, Muriel struggles during aerial battles.
In this sense, he may not suit the role of centre forward at West Ham as he would not be able to get on the end of crosses into the box.
Interest
There is plenty of interest in Muriel, suggesting that he is a top player in Serie A.
Leicester City, Roma and Inter Milan were also mentioned as interested parties in The Sun.
Everton are also among the many other interested clubs.
Price
According to The Sun, Luis Muriel has a buy-out clause of £24m.
This is quite a hefty fee but the Hammers are prepared to match it, according to this report.
Verdict
Luis Muriel obviously has a lot of talent.
But whether he is the answer to our goal scoring problems remains to be seen.
He does not fit David Gold’s description of a proven Premier League striker nor does he inspire much confidence that he will net twenty top flight goals for us.
Perhaps if he is brought in as a winger and striker back-up choice, he might be a decent signing.
But at £24m, this is a risky gamble to take.
