West Ham United and Newcastle United want to sign Bologna striker Mattia Destro according to reports from Italy.
Manuel Pellegrini has been linked with a host of strikers amidst the uncertainty surrounding Marko Arnautovic’s future.
Meanwhile, Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez is desperate for more firepower to help stave off relegation.
Arnie wants out?
Pellegrini and Benitez need strikers for different reasons
“Destro has sent agent Luca Puccinelli out to London for talks with interested Premier League sides,” the report states.
“These include Newcastle and West Ham, although he is also keeping an eye out for offers within Italy.”
Beware serial flop
But Pellegrini and Benitez should be wary.
Destro has flopped not once, not twice but THREE times in Serie A.
Much was expected of the 27-year-old former Italy international when he started out. Roma paid £13m to sign him from Genoa in 2012, but he failed to establish himself playing just 57 games in three years.
He was given another chance on loan at AC Milan but scored just three goals in 15 games.
Bologna then paid around £7 million to sign Destro on a five-year deal which runs until next summer.
Destro has scored 25 goals in 89 appearances for Bologna. But he has been consigned to a place on the bench this term and has not scored in 10 appearances this season.