Serie A expert says Gianluca Scamacca is intrigued by a move to West Ham and gives the lowdown on Italy’s eccentric young hope.
West Ham have made an encouraging start to the summer window with over £50m spent on three quality signings.
The £30m arrival of Nayef Aguerd has sorted the centre-back situation while the permanent capture of Alphonse Areola for around £10m – coupled with Lukasz Fabianski’s new contract – means the goalkeeping department is settled too.
The success of this window will be heavily judged on West Ham’s ability to finally sign a quality striker.
The latest speculation has seen West Ham reportedly enter talks with Sassuolo for Italy striker Scamacca (Football Italia).
West Ham are said to have outbid European giants PSG for the Italian.
With the Ligue 1 champions in the mix it might seem unlikely West Ham would win the race for Scamacca’s signature.
So Hammers News has spoken to our man in the know over in Italy, Serie A podcast regular Domenico Ragno.
Serie A expert says Gianluca Scamacca is intrigued by West Ham move and gives full lowdown on Italy’s eccentric young hope
The Serie A expert says Scamacca is intrigued by a West Ham move and gives the full lowdown on Italy’s eccentric young hope.
West Ham fans will be equally intrigued by the potential signing and his very interesting back story.
“I rate him a lot,” Ragno told Hammers News of the 23-year-old West Ham target Scamacca.
“Maybe his goal record is not quite there at the moment (with the top strikers) but he looks built for the Premier League – he’s 6ft 5in, technically brilliant and he’s been excellent for Sassuolo who play very much in the style of an English team.
“Italy are lacking strikers so we’re pinning a lot of hopes on him. If PSG are in for him it’s a strange one. I think it might be a bit too soon (for a move to a club like PSG). It’s France, it’s inferior to the Premier League so that could come into it too.
“Arsenal looked at him but I think because he is unproven in the Premier League you just don’t know how he will adapt. But he’s definitely a prospect, a hot prospect, and if you watch back some of his clips and goals especially for Sassuolo he had some good players behind him providing the chances, people like Domenico Berardi on the right that was creating goals for him.
“It depends not just on him but on the other players and how he links up – which West Ham fans saw with (Sebastien) Haller doesn’t always click.
“The Italian press see him as a bit of a rebel. He came through the Roma academy and at the age of 16 he just abruptly left and signed for PSV Eindhoven. When he reached 17 Sassuolo basically took a chance on him and brought him back to Italy and loaned him out every year after that.
“The season before last he was actually on loan at Genoa and did quite well, scored about nine goals, and so the following season he got his chance.
“They see him as a powerful striker – he looks Premier League ready physically – he has extravagant technique which is rare for a player of his height and that’s why a lot of people like him.
“If I was to compare him to a player he’s like a B grade Maurco Icardi or even Robert Lewandowski. I know that’s quite a comparison but he is expected to try and aim to get to that sort of level.
“The press here say he is obviously flattered by the PSG links and would love to play with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi but on the flip side he’s intrigued by West Ham as well because he knows he will go there and with his physical power, technique and height he thinks he is suited to the Premier League and he would like to be the main man at West Ham.
“He was brought up by his mum and his sister and is said to be estranged from his dad. But all in all he’s quite an eccentric character, into his tattoos and the high life. He’s a bit of a practical joker, bit immature, in previous Italy camps – Under 19s I think – he’s been kicked out him and Moise Kean playing practical jokes.
“But all in all he’s highly rated. He’s definitely a risk but maybe a risk worth taking.”
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