West Ham United new manager Manuel Pellegrini has embarked on a squad rebuilding task after replacing David Moyes at the helm at the London Stadium. According to the Sun, The Hammers are confident of landing the signature of the Lazio ace in a deal that could be worth £35million.
Lazio were impressive last season, making it to the Europa League quarterfinals and narrowly missing out on Champions League football. Felipe Anderson won the Italian Super Cup with Lazio last season.
Talks have been held between London Stadium hierarchy, Lazio and Anderson’s representatives, with the DailyMail reporting that the Italian side is keen on adding extra sell-on clauses in the deal before sanctioning the sale. The Hammers have already confirmed the signing of three players in a promising summer so far.
According to Telegraph, West Ham have signed already signed goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski from Championship side Swansea City for around €7million. The 33-year-old Poland international, who is currently on international assignment in 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, signed a three-year contract.
Fabianski, Swansea’s Player of the year in their doomed topflight season, will be replacing stopper Joe Hart, who has returned to parent club Manchester City after the expiry of his loan spell in London. Adrian who played alongside Hart last season will offer competition to Fabianski.
Landing Anderson would be a statement of intent from West Ham owners, who are keen to get the club competing like in the early days of Slaven Bilic’s reign. West Ham have also completed the signing of Issa Diop for €22milion from hometown team Toulouse.
The 21-year-old Toulouse captain agreed to a five-year contract earning around €65,000-per-week. The France under-21 international joins Ryan Fredericks, who was signed on a free transfer from Premier League newcomers Fulham on a four-year contract.
West Ham are strengthening all key areas ahead of the next Premier League campaign and its Anderson that is likely to excite most West Ham fans. The 25-year-old Olympic gold medalist scored 4 Serie A goals and assisted a further 7 goals. He smashed 3 goals and assisted a further 3 in Lazio’s impressive Europa League campaign. He scored one goal in the Coppa Italia, bringing his grand total to 8 goals and 10 assists in 32 games.
Anderson, who plays as a right-midfielder, attacking midfielder and as a right-winger has been capped once by Brazil and missed out on representing his country in Russia despite his impressive performance last season. Lazio signed him from Brazilian side Santos in 2015.
A good dribbler, he flies into tackles, he has excellent interception skills, crossing skills and plays through balls and key passes. Anderson is definitely an exciting prospect for West Ham and the Premier League. He might just be the Dimitri Payet of the next level of West Ham’s evolution.
