West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang is not being considered for sale by manager Manuel Pellegrini this summer despite reports linking him with an exit back to Italy, according to Claret and Hugh.
The reliable Hammers news website delivered the surprise update on the status of the 6’1″ (source: Transfermarkt) star after the Sun had claimed that the Chilean boss was weighing up giving the green light for his departure, with Fiorentina said to have tabled a bid.
Obiang managed to make just 27 appearances last season as a knee injury kept him out during the latter stages of the campaign, and he has a total of 87 outings for the Iron under his belt.
Opinion
News of Obiang’s potential exit might have been slightly surprising, but it was by no means a shock after the sort of recruitment Pellegrini has been carrying out this summer. He is having to deal with a severely bloated squad and those on the fringes of the first team, Obiang included, all seemed in the firing line. However, it appears the Spaniard is safe for now, although how long it stays that way if clubs in Italy are seriously interested remains to be seen. His knee injury was a serious blow not only for the player but for the club, and he seems to have slipped down the pecking order thanks to the arrival of Jack Wilshere over the summer. It could well be that without guaranteed first team action, he actually ends up searching for a move, but for the time being Pellegrini is planning to keep him on the books.