Ajax central defender Joel Veltman has confirmed the Hammers were keen to sign him in the summer transfer window.
And it demonstrates that, as was being speculated at the time, Manuel Pellegrini was keen and presumably remains enthusiastic to get a new utility defender into the club.
Veltman can also operate in the central defensive and right back roles and although we missed out this time it may be an option the manager looks at again in January despite the player signing a new deal in August which takes him through until 2021.
He is priced at £6.3 million at https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joel-veltman/profil/spieler/111195 which may well suit the Hammers pocket when January comes around.
The 27 year old seems to be making few bones about his disappointment at not being allowed out of the Dutch club but has made it pretty clear that should the opportunity arise he wants the chance to move on in the near future.
“Everyone knows that I would like to play abroad again”, he said via NOS. “West Ham United were interested, but there were more clubs. However, Ajax put a stop to it. I wasn’t allowed to leave”.
I also wanted to leave in 2018, but then I got injured. I started my eighteenth season here, but I’m still good, though”.
He has now started all of Ajax’s eight games this season.
Sound like he could have been a bargain. Still an option for Jan or next summer maybe, as the great Zabaleta may be hanging up his boots and there’s also the real prospect of Reid never getting back to full fitness. Any defender brought up in the Ajax system has got to be comfortable on the ball with an appreciation of space and positioning which MP seems to always require. Guess he’s right-footed. But may be we won’t need to buy in too many players in the future with our u23’s doing so well.