Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
West Ham set to win race for Norwich target Fabio Quagliarella as personal terms agreed
WEST HAM are closing in on the signing of a new striker with Juventus player Fabio Quagliarella having agreed personal terms at Upton Park.
Reports in Italy suggest that Quagliarella is happy to join the Hammers but that a deal between West Ham and Juventus has not yet been struck.
According to Sky Sports Italia, the east London club are still haggling over whether the move will an initial loan deal with the option of a permanent transfer or an outright purchase.
Quagliarella is available despite scoring nine goals in 27 appearances for the Old Lady last season after Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente arrived this summer to push him down the pecking order in Turin.
All of that means that Juventus would rather Quagliarella's wages come off their books permanently rather than face the possibility off the 30-year-old returning next summer.
It is thought that Juventus want a fee in the region of £9m for the experienced Quagliarella.
Reports had suggested that West Ham may need to sell before they could add any further players following Stewart Downing's arrival from Liverpool last week, but with Modibo Maiga currently the Hammers only fit striker, the club has confirmed that adding another forward remains a priority.
Norwich had been linked with a move for Quagliarella even after the arrivals of Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Gary Hooper this offseason, but it now appears they are set to miss out with a move to West Ham almost agreed.