West Ham linked with defender and four strikers

West Ham have been linked with Reading centre-back Jake Cooper and four different strikers in Wednesday morning’s newspapers.

West Ham are on the verge of signing Sam Byram from Leeds United after the right-back turned down a move to Everton, and Slaven Bilic is also hoping to sign Cooper, 20, according to The Times.

It was reported on Tuesday that the Irons were also considering a move for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, but four more forwards have now been linked with moves to Upton Park after David Sullivan revealed the club could sign a striker from a “very strange league”.

“We are looking, long-term, for a 20-goal-a-season striker,” Sullivan told Sky Sports.

“There’s a possibility that a striker will come in on loan, with the option to buy, within the next seven days. He’s an overseas striker.

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe it. I can’t tell you which league because then you’ll know exactly who it is.

“We are signing from a very strange league. But he has played in higher leagues.”

The Times say West Ham have been offered Al-Ahli striker Moussa Sow, formerly of Lille and Fenerbahce, while the Daily Mail says the east Londonders are pondering loan moves for Demba Ba and Alexandre Pato.

The Sun, meanwhile, says Algerian hitman Ishak Belfodil, who plays for Baniyas in Abu Dhabi, is a target.