OPINION
West Ham are reportedly poised to focus their attention on Porto midfielder Danilo Pereira amid concerns that a potential deal for Sporting Lisbon enforcer William Carvalho might not materialise.
The Mirror claims that potential £31million Carvalho transfer has stalled as Sporting have increased their demands whilst negotiating with the Hammers this summer.
The report claims that the East London club are prepared to look elsewhere and pursue Porto’s 25-year-old defensive midfielder who was being tracked by Premier League rivals Tottenham earlier on this summer.
Good move for West Ham?
West Ham supporters will be desperately disappointed to hear that the Carvalho deal might not be finalised before the end of the transfer window, especially following the team’s poor performance on the opening day of the season against Manchester United.
Slaven Bilic’s side seriously lacked a player in the midfield who could help soak up the pressure from United on the weekend and provide better defensive cover in front of an ageing back four.
However, Pereira appears to be a very similar player to the Sporting man as both midfielders have managed to notch up a total of 10 goals for their respected clubs with Carvalho boasting 12 assists compared to Pereira’s three.
Similar to Carvalho, the Porto midfielder was also an important member of the Portugal national team which lifted their first piece of silverware in last year’s European Championships in France.
The two midfielders featured in five matches throughout the competition with Pereira missing out on a place in the final.
The Hammers’ fans should not be too disheartened should their club decide to secure Pereira’s signature instead of Carvalho as both seem to possess attributes that could help them evolve into fine Premier League players.
This Is Futbol rating: 7/10
Likely to happen?
The Mirror claims that Carvalho is still interested in plying his trade in the Premier League with the Hammers next season which indicates that they will eventually get the deal over the line.
Pereira currently has five years remaining on his contract with Porto and West Ham will more than likely need to splash the cash in order to land him which rules out the prospect of them pursuing both midfielders.
The Porto man might also not fancy a move to East London as he is currently playing for a team competing in the Champions League who provide a genuine challenge on their league title on a regular basis.
This Is Futbol rating: 3/10