West Ham United are reportedly interested in free-agent and Mexican international, Diego Reyes. The 25-year-old has run out of a contract with FC Porto and is on the lookout for a new deal. While Turkish giants, Fenerbahce, have already made an offer for the defender, Manuel Pellegrini remains hopeful of convincing him over a move to the London Stadium. Newcastle United are also interested in the player and it seems that the Hammers will have to battle them and also Fenerbache in order to land the defender.
Diego Reyes has spent the past five seasons under contract with the Portuguese outfit. The most lucrative period was his two loan spells with Real Sociedad and Espanyol from 2015 to 2017. He made a joint 63 appearances in two seasons with the La Liga sides, which is 16 more than his overall senior team involvement for Porto. Despite failing to hit his mark with the Blue and Whites, Reyes managed to win the favour of international coaches from the Mexican national side. He was a highly rated youngster coming out of CF America with 23 caps for Mexico at the youth level.
He had impressed aplenty during his 92 appearances for America and was called up to make his debut for Mexico in the 2014 World Cup qualifier against the United States. Now he has 53 caps for his nation and was even named in the final 23-man squad 2018 FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury ruled him out of the tournament completely.
Reyes featured in 24 games for Porto last term, scoring on 3 occasions and setting up a single assist. He was brought in to become one of the club’s leading figures but is about to leave the side for nothing, since making his £6.25m switch in the summer of 2013.
Reyes could make a name for himself in the Premier League but what will he be able to add to the Hammers lineup? Pellegrini has recently brought in Issa Diop for £21.9m and Fabian Balbuena for £6.5m, both being centre-backs, who have replaced James Collins and Reece Burke at East London.
The Chilean boss also has the likes of Winston Reid, Reece Oxford, Angelo Ogbonna and Declan Rice in the squad with Aaron Cresswell capable of filling in at centre-half. West Ham looks set as far as defensive reinforcements go but there could be a few progressions in the final weeks of the summer transfer window.
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Oxford spent the previous season on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach and could be sent out again for more development. Reid has already been ruled out for three months from a training ground injury and Ogbonna is being targeted by Napoli. If one of them is to leave the London Stadium this month, maybe Pellegrini should opt for a contract offer towards Reyes.
