West Ham United are preparing a raid for Portuguese striker Silvestre Varela from Porto, according to reports.
With Andy Carroll still unavailable through his heel injury that he suffered in the last Premier League match of last season against Reading, the Hammers are considering bringing in Varela as a new option up front, according to The Express.
Varela has a good goalscoring record at Porto, where he has been around the first team for the past few seasons, contributing 25 goals in 90 appearances since arriving in 2009.
Before that he spent most of his time out on loan from Sporting Lisbon but now at 28 years of age, manager Sam Allardyce feels that he could bring something different to his squad, the paper claims.
Toothless
Firepower is lacking at Upton Park, with Modibo Maiga the only all out forward on the books, fit to play.
Carlton Cole and loanee Marouane Chamakh were not retained from last season and West Ham have been linked to any number of strikers this summer.
During their goalless encounter against Newcastle United yesterday, the need for more options was clear.
Allardyce will have seen it as an opportunity missed to secure an away win against a poor Newcastle side who rarely troubled the Londoners.
The newspaper claims West Ham are now focusing on Varela after a possible move for Fabio Quagliarella of Juventus could not be completed.
Wages
However West Ham have made it clear that no more transfers are possible without first selling existing squad members.
Allardyce and chairman David Gold have both confirmed that the team has hit the wage quota set down by the Financial Fair Play association preventing any further business, according to the newspaper.
A loan signing might be the most viable option and an interesting rumour has appeared on West Ham fan website Knees Up Mother Brown suggesting the immanent arrival of Honduran international Roger Rojas on a season long loan.
http://www.touchlinetalk.com/west-ham-ready-to-bid-for-porto-striker/63550/
