Santo will want investment if West Hamplaceholder image
Santo will want investment if West Ham | AFP via Getty Images
West Ham are said to be pushing for a deal to sign a new defensive midfielder.
West Ham are still said to be pushing to land a new defensive midfielder who has been impressing in South America. The Hammers still don’t know which division they will be playing in next season, currently in the relegation zone and one point from safety.
At this stage, West Ham’s recruitment chiefs likely have a plan for each of the leagues they may be find themselves in. For the Premier League plan, it seems West Ham have a Brazilian holding midfielder in mind, with Edson Alvarez leaving the club permanently.
Fluminense midfielder Matheus Martinelli has been impressing in Serie A both last season and this season, although the current campaign is still young.
The 24-year-old has reportedly attracted attention from a number of clubs, and West Ham are said to have submitted a deal worth £10.2million, as spotted by SportWitness. That offer was swiftly rejected.
According to a fresh report from O Dia, Fluminense are asking for a minimum of £17.1million to sell their up and coming midfielder this summer.
It’s claimed Fluminense want to bring in significant cash from player sales, but they expect Martinelli to make up a large chunk of their target goal. It’s unclear whether West Ham will rise to that figure, and especially in advance of the summer, given they could end up playing Championship football and needing to cut costs.
Fluminense control the situation due to the midfielder signing a new contract until 2030, and his release clause stands at £25.6million, so West Ham have no other way of landing a deal other than meeting the asking price set.
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