West Ham plan to hold talks over Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette as they prepare to break the club’s transfer record to mark their arrival at the Olympic Stadium.

Lacazette, 24, has been linked with a move to Barcelona where he would be an understudy to Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, but the Hammers have received enough encouragement from the French international and his club to feel that a switch to east London is a possibility.

Any deal would eclipse the £15million paid by West Ham for Andy Carroll in 2013. While Slaven Bilic is broadly happy with his squad, ambitious owners David Sullivan and David Gold are prepared to pay big for a marquee signing up front who they think could make the difference to delivering Champions League football.

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West Ham plan to hold talks over Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette in a record-breaking deal for the club

The France international is one of the most sought after forwards in Europe and has been linked to Barcelona

Lacazette is regarded as one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe and will consider his future after the Ligue 1 season ends on May 14.

He scored 27 goals last season to be voted Player of the Year in France and has topped the 20-goal mark again having found the net regularly in 2016.

Lacazette has also won 10 international caps for France and hopes to be part of their Euro 2016 squad.

Andy Carroll seen here against West Brom is one of the strikers along with Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Emmanuel Emenike