After finishing 10th in the Premier League standings, West Ham United must be aiming for a place in Europe next season under Manuel Pellegrini. They are set to splash the cash to bolster the squad and have made enquiries about the availability of Celta Vigo pair Maxi Gomez and Stanislav Lobotka, according to the Daily Mail.
The La Liga outfit managed to survive a relegation scare, but the duo had an impressive run in their respective roles. A combined offer of £58m should be enough to rope them in, and the Hammers might have to offload a few to raise the fund.
Gomez, 22, is an outright centre-forward who progressed through the youth ranks of Defensor Sporting back in his homeland Uruguay. His scoring traits earned him a switch abroad with the Celestes securing his services a couple of summers back.
The youngster is also in Valencia’s radar having netted 13 goals and assisted five more in 35 league outings last season. He is strong, both physically as well as aerially, and holds a great sense of positioning in and around the box. West Ham have parted ways with Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez whereas the uncertainty over the future of Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic depicts the necessity of a 15-goal forward.
Gomez has the attributes to adjust to the aggressiveness of Premier League football, and Pellegrini should step in and use his influence to bring the promising South American to London.
The Irons, meanwhile, are also in the market for a central midfielder having been linked to a move for Eibar ace Joan Jordan (as claimed by Marca). But the recent rumours suggest that their interest is in Lobotka who has been excellent over the past couple of campaigns in Galicia.
However, the 24-year-old Slovak has not ruled out a summer switch after undergoing a disappointing campaign in Spain (according to Pravda) and the East Londoners, who are exploring the Spanish market extensively, must try to lure him in fending off interest from the other potential suitors.
The player is known for his calmness, composure and concentration while shielding the backline from the opponent’s attacking threats. He prefers to hold possession, distribute it all over the pitch from deep down the midfield, and controls the rhythm from a central role banking on his swift movements, passing and directness. Although Lobotka might initially struggle in the English environment, his all-round ability should see him succeed eventually if appropriately deployed in the middle of the park.
