West Ham United are reportedly closing in on the capture of Villarreal left-back Pervis Estupinan, who was also courted by Italian outfit Napoli.
According to an exclusive report from Calcio Napoli 24, West Ham United are inching closer to the surprise signing of Ecuadorian full-back Pervis Estupinan, who currently plies his trade for La Liga outfit Villarreal.
Estupinan spent his formative years in Ecuador with LDU Quito, and his big move to Europe came in the summer of 2016, when he was signed by Udinese. The left-back was instantly loaned out to Granada and a year later, he joined Watford. The Hornets then sent him out on loan to three different La Liga clubs – Almeria, Mallorca and Osasuna, before Villarreal signed him permanently last year.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a fairly solid debut campaign with the Yellow Submarine, as he featured 33 times across all competitions, managing to register a couple of assists as well, in the process winning the UEFA Europa League.
However, if the aforementioned report is to be believed, Estupinan’s stint at El Madrigal could be short-lived as West Ham are said to be close to landing the 12-time capped Ecuadorian international.
West Ham have completed a couple of transfers this summer, first making Craig Dawson’s move permanent after a solid loan spell, before signing PSG goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan deal.
However, business is far from done for David Moyes & co., as a centre-back and a striker remain the top priority, as well as a replacement for Jesse Lingard, who looks set to stay at Manchester United.
So, a move for Estupinan does come out as a bit of a surprise considering that West Ham have the ever-reliable Aaron Cresswell as their first-choice left-back and Arthur Masuaku to provide cover. In addition, young Ben Johnson has shown he could play in the position last season as well.
However, Masuaku’s injury record does not always inspire confidence, while Johnson’s current deal runs out next summer. Besides, Moyes also opted to use Cresswell as a centre-back in a three-man defensive unit on occasions last term. If he opts to continue with a similar setup, the east London giants could do with an additional full-back, making Estupinan a viable target.
In fact, as per the report, the 23-year-old, who was also on the radars of Serie A outfit Napoli, is also keen on making the switch to the London Stadium. It is further stated that the deal is in advanced stages, with the Ecuadorian now bound for the Premier League. While it might not be a top priority, the investment in Estupinan could prove to be a good piece of business for West Ham in case a move goes through.
