Is Messi and Aguero’s Argentine provider about to join West Ham?
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August 2016 marks a decade since the stunning arrival of Argentine greats Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano at Upton Park. So it seems fitting that one of today’s most exciting stars for La Albiceleste looks likely to join West Ham United in the coming weeks. His name? Roberto Pereyra.
The 25-year-old spent the last two seasons at Juventus, the first of which included an impressive six-goal haul and a Champions League final appearance.
But the most recent campaign saw the former River Plate man struggle for game-time in Italy, despite taking his number of Argentina caps into double figures during the campaign.
Still, after five impressive years in Serie A with Udinese and currently I Bianconeri, there’s little doubt about the midfielder’s creativity, work-rate, and physical strength.
And those qualities would make him an especially good fit for West Ham, whose displays last season combined flair and physicality to impressive effect.
With Transfermarkt.co.uk estimating the player’s value at £13.6m, down over £800k since last summer, now could be the time for Slaven Bilic to swoop, especially with a sizeable sum about to be freed up by the sale of Diafra Sakho to West Brom.
Chances are the Argentine would also settle in well at the Irons’ new Olympic Stadium home, with fellow River Plate teammate Manuel Lanzini already a regular for the east London outfit.
West Ham begin the Premier League campaign with a trip to Chelsea, where it’s 19/4 the visitors take all three points.
In the longer term, Bilic will be looking to build on the recent seventh-placed finish with a top-six spot (11/4) or even a place in the top four at 8/1.
Bringing in the man chosen to provide chances for Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain at international level would be quite a boost to their chances, and could see those odds of Premier League progression tumble.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
