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According to Claret & Hugh, Manuel Pellegrini's West Ham United have ramped up their interest in prolific Fulham and Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

What's the word, then?

As forwards Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez look nailed-on to leave in the summer, not to mention Marko Arnautovic, the 24-year-old is very much on the Irons' radar ahead of the start of the transfer window.

However, Mitrovic is unlikely to come cheap for the Hammers, as he cost the Cottagers £22 million last summer after he helped them back into the Premier League whilst on loan from Newcastle United in the second half of the 2017/2018 season.

The 46-cap Serbia international is a tall, physical centre-forward who has notched 10 goals and two assists in 33 appearances this season and is better suited to leading the line with a second striker or number ten just behind him.

The ideal Arnautovic replacement for Pellegrini

Arnautovic was the subject of a bid from an unnamed Chinese Super League club in the January transfer window and seemed destined for the exit door before he signed a bizarre contract extension and announcing that he was staying, for now at least.

However, there is a general belief amongst the Claret & Blue Army that the controversial figure will eventually leave in the summer.

The reigning Hammer of the Year is not a player that West Ham can go without replacing and, with Maxi Gomez now attracting reported interest from Liverpool, Mitrovic appears to be the ideal replacement.

Mitrovic and Arnautovic both possess similar playing styles and a natural eye for goal, while they also have comparable hot-headed temperaments.

There's also plenty to suggest that Mitrovic would be an upgrade rather than a replacement for the Austrian. After all, he is entering the prime years of his career and it's not difficult to see that Arnautovic is on his way out of those.

With the attacker's current club all but relegated from the English top flight, the Serb should be looking for a route out of Craven Cottage, so Pellegrini should be making sure all paths lead to east London.