West Ham's new head of recruitment Rob Newman could end their long hunt for a backup striker in the upcoming January transfer window...

What's the word?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes.net, the Irons are among several Premier League teams eyeing up a move for RCD Espanyol frontman Raul de Tomas in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United are also keeping tabs on the 27-year-old forward.

It's thought that the LaLiga 2 champions would command a fee in the region of €45m (£38m) with the uncapped Spaniard, formerly of Real Madrid, under contract at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat until 2026.

Worthy backup

It is no secret that a new striker is needed in east London - after all, manager David Moyes has gone into a very hectic campaign with only one recognised senior option in Michail Antonio, who has suffered from his fair share of injuries over the years.

The Hammers remain unbeaten in the Europa League and look a shoo-in to advance into the knockout stages, whilst they are also putting up a charge in the Carabao Cup, with the FA Cup to come later in January.

It means the Scotsman is in dire need of rotating his side but it's a difficult task when your starting winger, Jarrod Bowen, is effectively Antonio's backup, so he's not getting enough rest either.

Therefore, the arrival of a new frontman should sit atop Newman's priorities. And de Tomas would be an interesting option.

The 5 foot 10 marksman has proven to be a clinical goalscorer for the La Liga outfit in recent seasons, scoring 34 goals in only 64 appearances for the club, including six strikes in 11 games this campaign alone, as per Transfermarkt.

Only Madrid duo Karim Benzema (nine) and Vinicius Junior (seven) have found the net more times in La Liga than the Spaniard this season.

De Tomas is self-proclaimed to be "a pacey, competitive and technically-gifted goalscorer," as per Los Blancos' official website, so he's obviously not short of confidence.

Valued at just €15m (£12.5m) by CIES Football Observatory, a swoop for £38m might be a little more than what he's worth, so if Newman can haggle that down to a reasonable fee, then the Irons should look to sign the Espanyol talisman.

Moyes desperately needs a new signing up top and de Tomas could be the man to end the agonising search.

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