West Ham United are currently revelling in the signing of Italy international Gianluca Scamacca, with the east Londoners hoping to bring to an end their miserable record in regards to centre-forward recruits, having seen multiple striking figures underwhelm in the GSB era to date.

Those woes could well have been solved much earlier had the Hammers - then managed by former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss Avram Grant - managed to strike a deal for French marksman Kevin Gameiro back in 2010.

Reports at the time had suggested that the Irons had made an enquiry regarding a potential swoop for the then-Lorient man, while additional speculation suggested that the club had offered a fee of around £8m for the player's services - albeit with the Ligue 1 outfit holding out for closer to £11.5m.

The highly-rated talent had netted a stunning haul of 17 goals in 35 league games in France's top-flight the year prior, hence the Premier League side's interest, although the 5 foot 8 gem would ultimately stay put as a move to Upton Park failed to come to fruition.

In all his wisdom, the much-maligned Grant - who ultimately steer the club to relegation at the end of the 2010/11 campaign - would instead bring in the likes of Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne as alternative centre-forward recruits in that same window.

That pairing would distinctly disappoint during their brief spells with the club, with Piquionne - who had previously worked under the Israeli at Pompey - notably scoring just 11 times in 62 appearances over the next few years.

As for Gameiro, the lethal menace would go on to impress once again as he netted 22 league goals during the 2010/11 season, before being snapped up by emerging European superpower Paris Saint-German at the end of that campaign.

The 13-cap machine would go on to score 23 times in 77 games at the Parc des Princes, although has since proven himself a hugely reliable goalscoring figure after impressive spells in Spain, having thrived for the likes of Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia over recent years - notably netting 67 goals in 145 games during his time in Seville.

Currently back in his homeland with Strasbourg, the 35-year-old currently boasts a stunning record of 226 goals and 75 assists in his club career to date, having scored twice in Ligue 1 so far this term.

To have missed out on a figure who has delivered the goods for well over a decade will likely remain a notable source of frustration for West Ham, with it now simply a case of what might have been with regards to Gameiro.