West Ham have significant work to do in the transfer market during the final weeks of the January window as it appears a huge departure is on the cards.
The Hammers look set to lose Marko Arnautovic to Chinese side Shanghai SIPG in a deal worth in excess of £35m and Manuel Pellegrini is planning to quickly reinvest those funds on a replacement – but they will have to improve their bid.
Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla states that West Ham have seen a £31m bid for Genoa striker Krzysztof Piatek rejected by the Italian side, who are holding out for a fee of £40m for the highly-coveted Poland international.
Piatek only moved to Genoa in the summer and has quickly caught the eye in Serie A, scoring 13 goals in 19 league appearances – courting the attention of the likes of AC Milan in the process and earning his senior debut for his nation.
The 23-year-old would certainly be a more than adequate replacement for Arnautovic, who is six years his senior, but it remains to be seen whether West Ham meet the asking price that Genoa have placed upon his head.
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