West Ham set to make £10.9m rated striker second signing

West Ham United have made a £10.9 million bid to recruit Colombian forward Jhon Arias from Fluminense, according to RTI Esporte.

The Brazilian site reported that if all of the deal’s criteria are met, the bid may reach £12.6 million.

Arias has a further £1.6 million available if he meets all of his objectives, bringing the total to nearly £14 million.

The Hammers’ deal is “superior” to what Crystal Palace, Leeds United, and Leicester City have all offered.

How does Jhon Arias fit into the West Ham setup?

The winger has previously been linked with a move to England’s capital.

In April, Argentine journalist Christian Martin reported that the Hammers were among a number of Premier League bidders.

Since then, rumors of a deal has largely slowed down; but, with this recent disclosure, it appears that West Ham’s South American acquisition is well and truly underway.

Luis Guilherme’s signing to the London club was only revealed yesterday (June 13).

Guilhereme, a winger, is expected to be the first of many arrivals to the Hammers this summer.

Arias appeared in 27 games for Fluminense across all competitions last season, scoring 11 goals.

He can play in any of the front three positions and has occasionally been utilized as an attacking midfielder.

However, his most dominant positions appear to be on either wing. His inclusion to Julen Lopetegui’s squad would allow Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen to advance farther and use their deadly instinct in front of goal more frequently.

The Hammers clearly need extra support up front, as Danny Ings and Michail Antonio are no longer performing to their full potential.

Although Arias is a relatively unknown player, his clinical nature could be crucial to West Ham’s season if he is signed.