According to a recent report by the Daily Mail, West Ham United are likely to make a move for Alaves defender Guillermo Maripan before the English transfer window comes to a close next week. The same source has mentioned that the Hammers have made a £9.5m offer for the La Liga centre-back in May and is set to put in an improved offer for him in this off-season.
The Recent Emergence Of Guillermo Maripan In Spanish Football
The 25-year-old had an impressive 2018-19 season with Alaves after he put in a series of commanding displays at the back in the previous campaign. His remarkable defensive contributions helped the Spanish outfit secure a tenth place finish in the Spanish top-flight standings.
The Chile international featured in 25 matches for the Spanish outfit last season, scoring two goals while grabbing two assists across all competitions. On the defensive end, Maripan has enjoyed a rich vein of form as he made an average of 2.0 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 5.7 clearances per game in the La Liga in the previous term (Stats via whoscored). The Vitacura-born centre-half has represented Chile in 13 international matches and could be set to play a crucial role for his country in the coming years.
The South American prospect started his playing career back in his homeland where he played in CD Universidad Católica’s youth set-up before establishing himself as a first-team starter for the club. Alaves decided to bring him to Spain in the summer of 2017 where he has come to prominence by putting in a consistent run of solid defensive performances last season.
What Will The Chilean Defensive Ace Add To Pellegrini’s Side?
Maripan is a powerful defender who is aerially dominant as he can win a lot of duels while going up against the opposition attackers. He has incredible upper-body strength and can be a commanding presence at the back. The Chilean talent can also be lethal in front of the opposition goal during dead-ball situations.
The addition of a quality and experienced defender like Maripan will undoubtedly improve Manuel Pellegrini’s overall squad depth at the London Stadium. The Alaves centre-back will provide some much-needed competition for Issa Diop, Fabian Balbuena and Angelo Ogbonna for a place in the West Ham starting XI.
Will Maripan Be A Good Fit For The Hammers?
The Chile international would be a decent acquisition for the East London outfit, and so Pellegrini should try and secure his services before the start of the new campaign.
