West Ham United will not have an easy task luring Heittor Vinicius to the London Stadium. Especially now that Manchester City’s owners have made their own move for the Palmeiras youngster.
Last week, it was claimed that West Ham ‘intend to sign’ the Brazil Under-20 international.
Despite the struggles of another Palmeiras graduate in Luis Guilherme – the winger was sold to Sporting Lisbon after only two Premier League starts in 18 months – West Ham United have returned to the Allianz Parque in search of the next Selecao starlet.
Out of favour at Stoke, no future at Man City…
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According to Globo Esporte, however, the first move has been made by the City Football Group.
West Ham United target Heittor Vinicius could end up at Manchester City via Girona
The report claims that the City Football Group have submitted an offer worth £17.5 million for Heittor Vinicius. Globo Esporte claim that the plan is to send Heittor to Girona initially; Man City’s La Liga sister club.
But, as was the case with Savinho, all roads would lead to the Etihad Stadium if Heittor was to make a positive impression in Catalonia.
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It is not certain yet how Palmeiras have responded to that 20 million euro offer.
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It certainly doesn’t make West Ham’s task any more straightforward. Especially considering that Heittor will surely be aware of how the Hammers rather bungled Guilherme’s transition to European football, compared with the City Football Group’s impressive list of South American success stories; see Julian Alvarez, Douglas Luiz, Savinho, Gabriel Jesus, Yan Couto.
West Ham reportedly ‘intend to sign’ the Palmeiras kid
Via his YouTube channel, Brazilian reporter Jorge Nicola last week broke the news of West Ham’s interest in Heittor.
“Let’s get to the exclusive information. It comes from the staff of striker Heittor, an 18-year-old player from Palmeiras,” Nicola says.
“The information suggests that West Ham intend to sign him; a Premier League team with significant investment capacity. They are closely monitoring the steps of the 18-year-old centre-forward.
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“Heittor only turns 19 in September. But he played for Palmeiras’ U-20 team when he was only 17 years old. Last season, he scored 10 goals in 35 matches.”
Heittor describes himself as ‘a very powerful, fast, and clinical player’, similar in that sense to another big-money Palmeiras export in Endrick.
Interestingly, Hammers News can confirm that West Ham held talks with Real Madrid regarding Endrick before the Brazil international joined Lyon on loan during the January window.
Heittor scored a stunning hat-trick as Palmeiras’ Under-20s thrashed Bahia on Wednesday. The same night West Ham beat Blackburn Rovers to claim the U17 Premier League title.
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