West Ham manager Slaven Bilic is eyeing up an ambitious summer swoop for in form Napoli star Dries Mertens as he looks to add pace and quality to his front line this summer, according to reports from The Sun.

What's the word?

West Ham have struggled in the goals department this season, with no player having broken into double figures and no consistent choice up top.

With that in mind, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic made a point in his London Evening Standard column last week that he would be targeting first team players who can bring quality and pace to his attacking ranks ahead of next season.

After his comments, The Sun believe that Belgian striker Dries Mertens is in his sights, despite having been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea in the past.

The 30-year-old, who West Ham feel could be tempted to Stratford in a £20m move, has been in sensational form this season bagging 31 goals in all competitions so far, more than the top four goalscorers in claret and blue combined this term.

What went wrong for Slav?

It has been the case of same old story for Hammers fans in terms of their main men this season. Whilst top scorer Michail Antonio has been fantastic the need for him to be deployed in various positions as well as persistent injury worries saw his campaign significantly hampered.

Furthermore, the continuing theme of Andy Carroll breaking in, scoring and then limping off has continued throughout the first season at London Stadium and, of course, having lost the creative talent and flair of Dimitri Payet chances created have been few and far between.

Add to that a calamitous summer of signings last year and the east Londoners were never going to topping the goal-scoring charts this summer.

Bilic will be hoping that coups such as Mertens can lift the game of the entire squad as they battle for places in his starting XI next term.

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