This morning’s Claret and Hugh article details the advanced nature of talks which are taking place between the club and Argentinian defender Kevin Lomónaco. More information has come to light concerning the centre-back’s playing style which renders him both hugely exciting and a ‘super high-risk’ (their words not mine)- signing for Graham Potter to countenance. you’ll soon see why.
From 3addedminutes.com comes the detail of the umm- ‘controversial’ Lomónaco, a defender who as yet is untested outside of South America and could prove something of a white knuckle ride for his manager and team mates should he sign on the line. For here is no ordinary ‘vanilla’ centre back.
“His willingness to take the ball out of defence and surge upfield creates opportunities but leaves holes in behind, and if he doesn’t improve his close control then he could generate as many counter-attacks for the other side as he does for his own at a higher level. But it isn’t just his playing style that may worry West Ham fans.”…. Uh-oh – there’s more.. oh yes indeed:
“In 2023, Lomónaco – then 21 years old – became one of a number of players implicated in a spot fixing scandal that made headlines in Brazilian football…Lomónaco was handed a 380-day ban from football which saw him miss the entirety of the 2023 Brazilian season .
“The defender admitted to receiving a bribe of 70,000 reals (around £9,300 at current exchange rates) in return for deliberately picking up a yellow card in a match against América.”
Wait. Really? Am I alone in thinking that however exciting this young man is on the pitch – West Ham need court no further controversy and should walk away. Too many parallels – and with the Lucas Paquetá case still undecided the absolute very last thing West Ham need is to appear to be rubbing the FA’s nose in it by bringing a confessed ‘cash for cards’ bribe taker to the Premier League.
Lucas Paquetá denies all of the allegations against him.
The West Ham board love an entrepreneur don’t they.
As I commented on the article yesterday and said he’d been linked to a betting scandal. Of course we’re after him.
Yes, you are alone in your thoughts, along with many of your clickbait articles too…..I’d sign him tomorrow just to prove a point. I’d use all the publicity generated by the signing to highlight just how diabolically the FA have handled the Lucas Paquetá case and rub their noses in it!