West Ham United are reportedly keeping tabs on Red Bull Salzburg starlet Junior Adamu, with the striker also attracting attention from across Europe.
What's the word?
As per the Daily Mail, the Hammers have entered the race for the Austria international and are said to be 'monitoring developments' with regards to the 20-year-old's future at his current side.
The report suggests that the Nigeria-born marksman is attracting interest from the likes of Ajax, RB Leipzig and Premier League outfit Southampton, with his reported £12m fee seemingly an enticing prospect for those potential suitors.
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As for David Moyes' side, the club are still on the lookout for a new forward addition, with Michail Antonio still the only recognised, senior centre-forward in the squad, having missed out on Benfica's Darwin Nunez in January.
Next Haaland?
Adamu, who has been described by journalist Gimba Kakanda as a "low-key" talent, may not quite be the household name that Irons' supporters are chasing, although he has already showcased his promise after an impressive last few seasons.
A brief loan stint at Swiss outfit FC St.Gallen saw the young starlet net six league goals in just 14 games during the tail end of the 2020/21 season, before he followed that up with an impressive nine goals in all competitions in the most recent campaign after returning to his parent club.
That tally included a shock opener in a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League last-16, first-leg tie in Salzburg, in what was the hosts' first-ever knockout tie in the competition.
That image of a young striker impressing at the elite level for the Austrian outfit stirs memories of a certain Erling Haaland, the Norwegian menace having burst onto the scene at the club, notably netting eight goals in his first five group stage appearances in the competition during the 2019/20 campaign.
A move to Borussia Dortmund soon followed, although after scoring 86 goals in just 89 games for the Bundesliga side, the 21-year-old has since been plucked by Manchester City, with the £135m-rated gem having arguably been the most coveted player in Europe, alongside Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe.
Like Adamu - who previously spent two-and-a-half seasons as a teenager at second-tier outfit FC Liefering - Haaland also rose from obscurity at the likes of Byrne and Molde back in Norway, with the duo potentially mirrored in their carefully plotted career paths.
Although Adamu has yet to hit anywhere close to the heights of the new City addition, his explosive form this term has showcased just what a potential talent he could become in the coming years, with the east Londoners set to have a real bargain on their hands if a deal can be struck.
Dubbed a "jewel" by Varsky Sports, the £1.1k-per-week prospect appears to have an incredibly high ceiling, much like that of Haaland, with Moyes and co set to relish the chance to nurture and improve him over the coming years.