West Ham United may have an ace up their sleeves in their attempts to sign 24-year-old Italian international Matteo Cancellieri from Lazio this summer.
According to a report by Il Messaggero via Radio Sei, Matteo Cancellieri is the subject of interest from West Ham United. The Hammers are keen on reinforcing their offensive unit by signing a striker in the ongoing transfer window, and they have their sights set on the 24-year-old Lazio centre-forward.
Per Il Messaggero, the East London club’s initial approach over a move for the Rome native was “weak” and has compelled them to return to the drawing board. West Ham may thus offer Niclas Fullkrug, reportedly a target for Lazio, as part of the deal to sweeten the pot and land Cancellieri.
Matteo Cancellieri and his career so far
Matteo Cancellieri has established himself as one of the most promising young strikers in Serie A since joining Lazio from Hellas Verona. However, the 24-year-old had to bide his time and required loan spells with Empoli and Parma before landing on his feet at Stadio Olimpico.
While Cancellieri has finally become a regular for Lazio, a hamstring injury stunted his progress in the 2025/26 campaign, restricting him to only 1,864 minutes of game time in 30 appearances, with the youngster chipping in with four goals and two assists. Nevertheless, the Italian striker’s stock remains high, with West Ham United among the prospective suitors vying for his signature.
London calling?
West Ham United’s interest in Matteo Cancellieri is understandable. The Hammers are scouring the market for a striker, as Niclas Fullkrug has no future at the London Stadium after being loaned out earlier this year. Additionally, Valentin Castellanos will likely leave West Ham, with the East London club reportedly ready to cash in on him.
Several candidates, including Zan Vipotnik, have thus emerged on West Ham’s wishlist, with Cancellieri also a viable target. The Italian striker has the benefit of his age profile and can become a long-term solution for the club if he settles down as a regular.
However, it is unclear if Lazio will be ready to reduce the asking price through a part-exchange deal, even though they are interested in Fullkrug. Nevertheless, West Ham’s tactics are intriguing, and it may lead to a clever move that allows them to offload an out-of-favour player while landing a top target.
