West Ham United are reportedly plotting a swoop to sign Genoa star Aaron Martin, as per Football Insider.
The Hammers are set to undergo a major rebuild under Graham Potter’s guidance, with Vladimir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski, Michail Antonio, and Danny Ings set to leave upon the expiration of their existing deal at the end of this month.
Moreover, Carlos Soler joined on a loan deal from Paris Saint-Germain last summer and could return to Parc des Princes. It has even been reported that Emerson Palmieri could also leave.
Now, Football Insider state that West Ham are prioritising signing a new left-sided defender to replace Cresswell and Emerson and have earmarked Martin as a serious option. The Hammers are keeping a close eye on the Spaniard before making a potential swoop.
The 28-year-old is valued at around £5.5m by Transfermarkt and is set to enter the final year of his current contract. Therefore, the Italian side might be open to cashing-in on him this summer to avoid losing him for free next year.
Purchasing Martin should not be a financial issue for West Ham; however, he is being pursued by several other clubs, though the report did not disclose their names. Therefore, they will have to face tough competition to secure the deal.
Martin to West Ham
The Spaniard is comfortable playing in both the left-back position and the LWB role. Potter isn’t a rigid tactical manager; instead, he occasionally changes his formation from a back four to a back three, making Martin an ideal option to play in his system.
The 28-year-old enjoyed a promising campaign last term, registering eight assists and keeping 12 clean sheets in 38 appearances in all competitions. Moreover, he helped his side finish in mid-table.
Martin is excellent at delivering crosses from the wide areas, is efficient in taking set pieces, has the ability to play threading passes between the lines, and is also proficient in defensive contributions.
The Genoa star is a talented, experienced player and could be a shrewd acquisition for the East London club should they eventually manage to secure his service in this window.