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West Ham are set to trigger Salomon Rondon’s £16.5million release clause as they attempt to sign the West Bromwich Albion striker, per the Northern Echo.

What’s the word?

The 29-year-old scored 11 Premier League goals during a loan spell with Newcastle United in 2018-19 and is now a man in demand.

The aforementioned report claims that the Magpies would like to sign him permanently, but that the Hammers are hoping to steal a march on their domestic rivals.

Indeed, the Northern Echo state that there remains uncertainty over the future of manager Rafael Benitez and that there will be no transfer activity until that is resolved.

Rondon’s clause is active after West Brom failed to win promotion to the Premier League.

And Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini is keen to sign an experienced striker this summer as he looks to build on his club’s 1oth-placed finish in 2018-19.

The first of many

West Ham need more than just one striker this summer.

Football FanCast understands that Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic is also a target, with the Hammers trying to ascertain whether or not his contract contains a release clause that has been activated by the Cottagers’ relegation to the Championship.

And FFC has also reported that Javier Hernandez, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez are all likely to depart the club this summer.

Only bringing in Rondon, then, would leave the Hammers with just the Venezuela international and Marko Arnautovic, whose future is far from certain, given the £45m release clause in his contract.

This deal, if completed, then, cannot be the last for Pellegrini’s men, as they look to push on and attempt to qualify for Europe next season.