Despite a difficult start to the 2018-19 season, West Ham United improved immensely under Manuel Pellegrini securing a top-half finish banking on an array of scintillating outcomes in the final weeks. The Chilean is now looking to strengthen the squad furthermore and contest for a place in Europe to continue their upsurge.
The Hammers, meanwhile, are keen on the 25-year-old Deportivo Alaves centre-back Guillermo Maripán, the Chile international whom they are tracking for a while. According to La Segunda, the East Londoners saw a bid of £8.5m rejected for him back in January whereas their recent attempt to acquire his services also went in vain when the La Liga outfit rejected an ambitious £10m offer, La Cuarta note has reported.
According to the Sun, their most recent bid has been £13.5m, and the club are expected to increase their offer to £15m to convince his current employers. The Stratford-based side roped in Issa Diop and Fabián Balbuena last summer and the duo have done a commendable job in their first season in the Premier League. The Hammers also have Angelo Ogbonna as a central defensive option.
Maripán enjoyed an impressive run in the heart of the defence showcasing his consistency as well as his towering presence. He played a crucial role in Alaves’ mid-table finish in La Liga but expressed his desire to seek a fresh challenge, preferably in England upon completion of the upcoming Copa America event.
” Since I was little I always liked what the Premier League is. there is a great challenge personally. it’s my second season in Europe. in Spain, I feel very well, but yes I would go to the Premier League. Whatever comes in the future I will decide after the Cup. I am now alone thinking about the Copa America. “
Stated the player as revealed by Goal a couple of weeks back.
The Chilean completed a low-key £3m transfer to Spain from his boyhood club Universidad Católica a couple of summers back and soon established himself as an invaluable asset to their first-team squad.
At 6 ft4in, the centre-half maintains a physical as well as aerial supremacy whereas his tackling, blocking and no-nonsense defending would boost the Irons defensively if they manage to strike a deal in due course of the transfer window. In our opinion, Pellegrini should look to boost West Ham in this transfer window by bringing in this La Liga defensive ace.
