According to media reports, MLS side Atlanta United are said to have submitted a bid of around £16.4 million for Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath who has previously been linked with a move to West Ham.

Should Atlanta’s bid be accepted by the Championship side, it would become the most expensive transfer fee paid by a team from the MLS. Latte Lath is enjoying an excellent season at Middlesbrough, currently joint third top scorer in the Championship, the Ivorian has 10 goals and 2 assists in 26 appearances so far this campaign.

The 26 year old has been at the centre of significant transfer speculation for quite some time. He has been linked with a number of fellow English clubs including Leeds United, Ipswich Town and West Ham. Whilst it is not believed that West Ham have officially registered their interest in Latte Lath, the Club are certainly in desperate need of a striker and have already been linked with a host of forwards since the January transfer window opened.

Latte Lath’s agent Matthias Veneroso has fueled a lot of speculation over the strikers future in a number of interviews with the media in recent months, discussing how “We expect something to happen in January”.

With options up front already short for new manager Graham Potter with Michail Antonio facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, skipper Jarrod Bowen who has played up front also out injured, losing German international Niclas Fullkrug through a serious hamstring injury in his first game in charge is certainly less than ideal.

The injury against Aston Villa is Fullkrug’s second long term injury this season after joining from Borussia Dortmund for a fee said to be around £27 million. Things like this make it more than understandable why a lot of supporters feel West Ham never have any good luck when it comes to strikers.

Many supporters will be less than enthused at the idea of Danny Ings leading the line over the coming weeks given just how much the 32 year old has struggled for form since joining the Club. With it essentially at the half way point of January, West Ham need to act quickly to get a striker through the door given the current injury crisis in the forward department.

Whether the Hammers decide to make a move for Middlesbrough’s Latte Lath remains to be seen. That being said, it is hugely important that the Club use the January transfer window in order to bring in a striker as adding more fire power to their forward line will be vital if they want to end the season in a stronger position under new boss Graham Potter.