Recruitment staff have drawn up a list that includes Marseille’s Michy Batshuyai, Alexandre Lacazette at Lyon, Wilfried Bony of Manchester City and Liverpool’s Christian Benteke.
None of those would come cheaply but Bilic has a list of support strikers too with Ayew and Racing Club striker Gustavo Bou among them.
Bilic has been impressed with how 24-year-old Ayew has often foraged for goals with little support at Villa and, though he has only scored six for Villa this season, believes he will benefit greatly by linking up with former Olympique Marseille teammate Dimitri Payet. The Ghanaian forward redeemed one of the goals as Villa went down 1-2 to Bournemouth last Saturday.
Ayew joined Villa from Lorient for £9.6 million and they would want to recoup their outlay but West Ham would hope to prise him away for a bit less.