Aston Villa are aiming to beat the Hammer for the signing of Pedro Goncalves, a notable omission from Euro 2024, who has been in West Ham’s crosshairs for some time.
Goncalves, currently a key figure at Sporting Lisbon, emerged as a target for West Ham, contingent on the sale of Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City. However, Paqueta’s anticipated move has dissolved due to FA betting charges, putting a dent in West Ham’s spending power and pausing their pursuit of Goncalves—much to Aston Villa’s advantage.
The midfielder, who was unexpectedly left out of the Portuguese squad for the Euro 2024 in Germany, has often been compared to Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. Last season, Goncalves was instrumental in Sporting’s success, tallying 18 goals and 17 assists in 49 appearances and helping his team secure the Liga Portugal championship.
Sporting Lisbon has set a hefty asking price of around £67 million for Goncalves. This steep valuation could deter potential suitors, despite the player’s obvious quality.