EXCLUSIVE: West Ham set to snap up £16m beanpole striker Traore on loan from Monaco

West Ham have agreed a deal to sign 6ft 8in striker Lacina Traore on loan.

The Ivory Coast centre forward has moved to Monaco from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala but the French club will send him straight out on loan until the summer and the player has agreed to join the Hammers.

The £16million-rated striker will travel to London for a medical but West Ham must await a work permit hearing before he can be declared officially theirs.

VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Traore's superb goal against Liverpool in the Europa League



New boy: Provided he can get a work permit, Lacina Traore will join West Ham on loan In and out: Traore signed for Monaco from Anzhi but has been immediately loaned out

Traore has played for FC Cluj, Kuban Krasnodar and Anzhi with clubs spending over £26m in transfer fees on the 23-year-old since he broke onto the scene in 2008 with African side Stade Abidjan.

He has figured against Liverpool - against who he scored a superb lob in November 2012 - and Tottenham in European competition over recent seasons and was a target for Mark Hughes while he was manager at Fulham.



He scored 13 goals in 29 games for Anzhi and has four in seven internationals for the Ivory Coast.

West Ham badly need something to spark their league season into life and manager Sam Allardyce will hope Traore brings goals.



