West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Zenit St Petersburg forward Yuri Alberto this summer, according to UOL Esporte.
The lowdown: Rising star
Signed from Internacional in January for £22.5m (Transfermarkt), the 21-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence following 35 direct goal contributions in 80 appearances for the Brazilian outfit after departing boyhood club Santos.
The Brazil youth international has also previously caught the eye of AC Milan, Everton, Atletico Madrid, Lyon, Manchester City, Arsenal, Napoli and Roma whilst establishing himself among the hottest prospects from his nation.
It now looks as though the Irons have joined those admirers as Rob Newman and David Moyes scour the market for attacking targets...
The latest: 'Strong' interest
As per UOL Esporte, West Ham 'entered' the transfer race for Alberto this week amidst serious interest from Corinthians for the highly sought-after sensation.
It's claimed that the Brazilian club remain in 'advanced' discussions over a move for the youngster, but there is now a 'rush' to get the deal over the line as the Hammers enter the fray.
The report added that Corinthians 'risk losing' out on the 21-year-old - who was hailed as 'extraordinary' and 'very fast and strong' by football scout Andre Noruega - to West Ham this summer.
The verdict: Good fit
Alberto lit up the Russian Premier Liga during the early part of 2022, scoring seven times and registering four assists in just 16 appearances across all competitions.
Predominantly operating as a left winger for Zenit, the Brazilian is an attractive proposition for the Irons due to an ability to also play as an archetypal centre-forward and from the opposite wing.
Such versatility will surely appeal to Moyes, given the three-pronged attacking lineup implemented by the West Ham manager.
Valued at £14.4m and under contract until 2027 (Transfermartkt), it may take a significant fee from GSB to make this deal happen, but it would be money well spent given Alberto's obvious goalscoring threat and scope for further development, along with the Hammers' need for greater depth up top.