A report by the Sun claims West Ham are closing in on the Lille defensive midfielder Thiago Maia after finally agreeing on a fee of around £20million for the 21-year-old former Santos starlet.
Up to now Newcastle Unted have been linked with Maia regularly through this summer transfer window. The 21 year old Brazilian midfielder only joined Lille a year ago. The Magpies reportedly had £10m bid rejected earlier this Summer and three weeks ago Le10Sport reported that Newcastle had made a loan offer with an option to buy.
Yesterday French media said that Newcastle have made a fresh loan offer for the coming season, which would include a buying option of around £22m (25m euros). Maia did well last season for the French club after joining for £12m.
It remains to be seen if the Hammers interest is true but Pellegrini is in the market of central defensive midfielder and he does love a South American. The transfer could be potentially funded by the sale of Kouyate to Palace and Hugill to Middlesborough.
Kouyate needs replacing and this guy looks like he has potential. Looks like West Ham are turning Brazilian. We always wanted to play like Brazil I suppose. Ball on the floor. It’s the West Ham way. I knew all that yellow in the new away kit had to have some significance.
Could be just the player we need. Love his interceptions and sudden burst of pace. Seems to mainly try to stay on his feet when tackling so as to use the ball he’s just won. Very interesting. COYI.
Is this for real?
This guy is seriously good!
Seems like Pelle is keen to make a ‘real’ team at West Ham
COYI
CDM? he’s not a Carvalho and Dendoncker…. he’s good but think we need more of an enforcer
When ever i’ve watched Carvalho he has seriously disappointed. Seems very laid back, hardly breaks sweat and only seems to do the minimum required. Dendoncker, however, is seriously good and rarely misses a game but would he be for sale and would he want to come here?
He is a CDM not perhaps in the traditional way, in that very Brazilian way, would certainly liven up our midfield even better is he seems to prefer to operate on the left side, watched loads of clips of him this afternoon, hope the rumours are true that we have agreed a fee but does seem dubious 🙂