According to a report by OwnGoalNigeria, West Ham United are presently 'leading the queue' to sign Paul Onuachu this summer and have now been told exactly what they need to pay for him.

The Lowdown: Onuachu eyed by Hammers...

Amid difficult financial circumstances brought upon by the global pandemic, West Ham may need to get creative in terms of looking for a new striker.

Bolstering the centre-forward position is said to be a priority for manager David Moyes this summer and the Hammers have recently been linked with a move for Genk marksman Onuachu.

The Latest: West Ham now lead race...

As per OwnGoalNigeria, West Ham are 'leading the queue' for the 27-year-old this summer and are expected to lodge a formal bid soon.

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The Irons see his valuation as 'something in the region' of €10m (£8.5m) rising to €15m (£12.8m), but his club have a slightly larger figure in mind.

"Clubs have been told it will cost €15m (£12.8m) with add-ons that will take it to €20m (£17.1m)," explains a source close to the player (via OwnGoalNigeria).

"That is his valuation not the viral €26m (£22.3m) rising to €30m (£25.7m) after add-ons. This was discussed with teams in England and a bid is expected from one soon."

The report added that it is expected that West Ham will lodge a formal offer.

The Verdict: Do it...

Having scored an incredible 29 goals in the Belgian top flight alone last season for Genk (Transfermarkt), we believe that Onuachu comes as a potential bargain for West Ham this summer and they should just pay the £17.1m total fee required.

He has also attracted praise from former Wimbledon and England international striker John Fashanu, who called the Nigerian a 'goal king' when speaking to Punch recently.

Onuachu could come as a forward who represents real value for money for the Irons if he can even come close to replicating his 2020/21 form should he move to east London.

In other news: 'We understand'...Sky Sports drop live TV claim as West Ham eye 'powerful' striker, find out more here.