West Ham are in negotiations with Marseille over a potential club-record €40 million deal for striker Michy Batshuayi, Goal understands.
The 22-year-old has scored 21 goals in all competitions so far this season and has subsequently been identified as a possible recruit by the Hammers, who are keen to add more firepower to their squad.
Sources close to the club have confirmed that West Ham's priority this summer is to sign a marquee striker - along with back-up for Sam Byram at right-back - and a comprehensive shortlist has been drawn up.
Batshuayi is likely to be an expensive signing - with Marseille keen to receive a transfer fee higher than the £24m they acquired from Chelsea for Didier Drogba - but West Ham's owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, have shown a willingness to back Slaven Bilic in the transfer market in the past and look set to do so again.
West Ham are understood to be in talks over Batshuayi with the French club and any deal would break their record transfer fee, which currently stands at the £15m the club paid Liverpool to sign Andy Carroll.
The Irons, however, will face competition for the forward, with Tottenham and Liverpool also reportedly monitoring developments.
Goal understands that West Ham have also made overtures to Lyon regarding the potential signing of Alexandre Lacazette, with the Hammers casting their net far and wide as they bid to sign a recognised forward.
Moves for the likes of Liverpool's Christian Benteke and Argentine striker Gustavo Bou have also been mooted, with the club keen to profit from a position of strength this summer.
West Ham are set to move into the Olympic Stadium this summer and see a 20-goal-per-season striker as the perfect acquisition after a season of surprise overachievement.
Bilic has guided his side to sixth in the Premier League and they retain hope of sneaking into the Champions League places in their final three fixtures of the season, as they sit just five points behind fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand.
- Goal