West Ham closing on LaLiga full-back tailor-made for Premier League
West Ham United are close to sealing a deal for Villarreal defender Pervis Estupinan, according to a report in the Italian media.
The Hammers have been surprisingly quiet in the summer transfer widow to date. They have been linked with many players and it was thought a striker was top of manager David Moyes’ wish-list. But only centre-half Craig Dawson has been bought so far and he is not a new face at the club.
The 31-year-old spent last season on loan at the London Stadium and has now penned permanent terms. Moyes has kept his powder dry all summer but may be about to strike.
Calcio News 24 are reporting that the Scot has his eyes on left-back Estupinan. The Ecuador international has spent one season with Villarreal.
The LaLiga outfit handed him a seven-year contract after paying Watford in the region of £15m for his services. The South American joined the Hornets from LDU Quito in his homeland in the summer of 2016.
But he failed to make a single appearance for the Vicarage road outfit, with several loans while in Hertfordshire. He spent time at Granada, Almeria, Mallorca and Osasuna before arriving at Estadio de la Ceramica in June 2020.
The man with 12 Ecuador caps made 12 starts among 25 Spanish top-flight starts outings. He played 34 times in all competitions but may be set to move to the East End.
Estupinan on the radar of big-name clubs
Prior to his Villarreal move, Estupinan was linked to both Manchester United and Tottenham. The Red Devils were keen to get him on board and then loan him out to another English club to gain experience.
That did not happen but he has seen plenty of action in Spain. A switch to the capital is now on the cards and he does seem a player suited to the English game.
He is known as a player who is strong in the tackle and with plenty of pace to support the forwards. Napoli are also thought to hold an interest in the stopper but the report suggests West Ham have the upper hand.
There has been no mention of his price tag but the Spaniards will want to make a profit on the £15m they forked out last year. Hammers fans will hope that his arrival might pave the way for further additions to the squad – especially up front.
READ MORE: West Ham come up short in first bid for familiar centre-back
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