West Ham United have made contact for Tiago Gabriel, the Lecce defender who is also attracting interest from other clubs, namely Juventus.
According to i News, Tiago Gabriel is a target for West Ham United, who have made contact with Lecce over the availability of the Portuguese defender. The defender’s rise in stature since joining Serie last January has seen Juventus, among others, also make their interest known.
Tiago Gabriel is proving to be one of the key aspects of Lecce’s season, with the defender establishing himself as an important starter for the side. He has attributes that many of the top teams lack, with his physical presence and duel-winning capabilities making him one of the sought after talents to acquire.
Having joined for a fee of £1.5 million last January, Lecce are seemingly open to cashing in on the defender, with the Serie A side demanding £20 million. Should they manage a sale, it would be reminiscent of the transfer of Patrick Dorgu last January to Manchester United.
Juventus are currently seen as the front-runners for Tiago Gabriel’s signature, but West Ham are also in the mix, as per the report. The Hammers and the Bianconeri have reportedly made contact with Lecce for the availability of the centre-back, and there is a good chance one of those could sign the £20 million-rated defender.
The Hammers are in the market to improve their backline, and at the given moment, they could think about investing in a young star, considering there are enough senior options available at Nuno Espirito Santo’s disposal. They did enquire earlier, with other reports suggesting they might have even made an offer, although that may not be the case.
West Ham to sign Tiago Gabriel?
Tiago Gabriel could be a good addition to the West Ham defensive unit, with the East Londoners already making their presence felt with the reported inquiry. West Ham are in contact with Lecce and probably even with the £20 million-rated defender’s agents to get a deal over the line.
It remains to be seen whether the defender prefers a switch to the Hammers, given that Juventus are one of the strong contenders to lure him away. As for Lecce, the Serie A outfit are more than willing to conduct a sale if they can receive the right price, which in this case is in the region of £20 million.
