Reliable Irons insider ExWHUemployee claimed on The West Ham Way podcast earlier this week that FC Porto striker Moussa Marega is being lined up for a potential move to the London Stadium.

Hammers boss David Moyes should be urging David Sullivan to seal a summer switch for the soon-to-be free agent in order to land proven support for Michail Antonio without breaking the bank.

The claret and blue side will have to target a striker in the next transfer window after Moyes opted against using the £20m made from Sebastien Heller’s move to AFC Ajax to bring in a replacement during the winter market.

West Ham’s decision to keep £15m-20m aside for the summer left Antonio as Moyes’ only senior striker, and require Andriy Yarmolenko and Jarrod Bowen to occupy centre-forward roles on occasion.

Marega could join that group in the off-season with his £34,000-per-week Porto contract due to expire in June, and ExWHUemployee suggesting that his situation has caught the interest of the Hammers.

Recent reports in Turkey had suggested that Fenerbahce have offered Marega a €1.5m-a-season (£25k-per-week) deal to join the Super Lig giants, although O Jogo have since poured cold water on the claims.

A source close to Marega is said to have informed the Portuguese publication that the Mali international is waiting to see what other offers arrive between now and the end of the season, with Porto open to a new contract but on lesser terms.

Marega, who Porto boss Sergio Conceicao described as a “competitive beast” earlier in the year, will turn 30 in April and has always had aspirations of one day playing in the Premier League.

This summer could represent his last realistic chance of sealing a move to England, one which West Ham should look to present three years after Marega snubbed a deal due to his loyalty to Porto.

Marega may not be a prolific centre-forward with a high resale value given his age, but he would offer Moyes a wealth of European experience and depth, while still having funds spare to acquire a young and hungry centre-forward to further bolster West Ham’s ranks.

The £12.6m-rated summer free agent has represented Porto 182 times across all competitions over the past five seasons, scoring 71 times and providing 33 assists.

Twenty-two of those appearances have come in the Champions League, along with eight of his goals and seven assists, including one struck against Juventus in the last 16 to help eliminate the Serie A giants from this season’s edition of the tournament.

West Ham are in with a reasonable shot at qualifying for European football for next season with the Irons only two points outside of the top four places in the Premier League table, so a player like Marega – who has faced some of the best clubs in the world – would have an added bonus if targeted.

It is something Blackburn Rovers’ Adam Armstrong would not bring to the London Stadium in the summer, as Moyes’ alleged top striker target has only cut his teeth as a Championship sensation with just 15 games of top-flight experience to his name thus far.

AND in other news, West Ham are adamant a deal to sign a £100k-p/w “revelation” will be reached…