Paolo Di Canio has warned West Ham against signing Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca.
According to the Express, the Hammers in talks over signing the Italian this summer as David Moyes hunts the market for a striker to assist Michail Antonio in attack.
The 23-year-old scored 16 goals in 36 Serie A appearances last term, which has led to West Ham reportedly being prepared to pay up to £40m for his signature.
But Di Canio has voiced his concerns about Scamacca’s ability to adapt to life in England, warning the club that he could become another Sebastien Haller in east London.
Speaking to Sky Italy, via Calciomercato, Di Canio said: “It’s not easy to be a protagonist in the Premier League. It’s a tough league.
“It reminds me of Haller, who at Eintracht scored a goal every two games and struggled at West Ham. He’s not a [Romelu] Lukaku.
“Then at West Ham, there’s Antonio, who is a totem. I don’t know if he will be a starter straight away.”
Manuel Pellegrini signed Haller, six months before David Moyes replaced him in the London Stadium dugout.
The Ivory Coast international struggled for consistency, despite flashes of brilliance, and ultimately couldn’t force his way into Moyes’ long term plans, who preferred Antonio as his primary strike option.
Moyes, though, has got an excellent recruitment record since returning to east London and will have no doubt done his due diligence on Scamacca’s ability to play in his system and perform in England’s top-flight.
Di Canio will also know a lot about his compatriot’s ability and we obviously all respect the great man’s opinion but, when it comes to recruitment, we must also trust that Moyes has identified the right man.
