West Ham 'emerge as frontrunners' to land teenage sensation as Brighton and Everton watch on

West Ham are leading the race to secure the signature of a highly-rated teenage attacker, according to reports. The Hammers have a frontline which consists of Michail Antonio, Danny Ings and Jarrod Bowen, while Said Benrahma and Maxwell Cornet make up the teams wider options.

The East London club are hoping to strengthen their strike force for years to come as Ings and Antonio both approach the twilight years of their careers. David Moyes’ is keen to sign a long-term striker to lead the line and he has identified Aodhan Doherty as a potential target for the January transfer window, according to Football Insider.

The outlet explains that West Ham are at the front of the queue to sign the 17-year-old winger who has also attracted interest from fellow top-flight clubs in Brighton and Everton. Doherty is viewed as one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting young prospects and he has earned rave reviews whilst playing in the league’s Premiership with Linfield as well as Northern Ireland’s U17 team.

So far this season, he has played three games for the league leaders and has already secured a long term professional contract with the club which takes him until 2026. He has earned plaudits from his manager David Healy who previously played for Leeds United, Fulham and Manchester United and Northern Ireland in his playing career

Northern Ireland’s all-time leading goalscorer told BelfastLive: “Aodhan has trained with us regularly whilst being part of our Academy scholarship programme. I have been impressed with how well he has adapted, and has shown a clear willingness to learn.

"I have no doubt that he can improve as we assimilate him into the squad, ensuring he has a controlled level of game time between the first team and the Swifts. We have shown with players such as Trai Hume and Paul Smyth that there is a clear pathway, even when you don’t go across the water at 16. It’s now up to "Doc" to take his chance.”

The 17-year-old could join the likes of Sunderland ace Hume and QPR’s Smyth in making the move from Linfield to England in order to play professional football. The Irons are a team that have built a reputation for harnessing the talents of young footballers and they are currently the defending champions of the FA Youth Cup.