West Ham United are on the verge of making their first signing in January as they have almost sealed a deal for Sao Paulo defender Luizao.
As per Caught Offside, West Ham United are set to complete a move for Brazilian defender Luizao from Sao Paulo. The youngster’s contract will end in January and the club will be able to rope in the player on a free transfer.
The Hammers are pretty lightweight in the defence as both Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna are edging towards the twilight of their careers and David Moyes needs to freshen up his backline in winter.
The youngster impressed in his first stint in the Brazilian top flight but rejected a contract extension at the club. He is now destined for his next big move and a call in the Premier League is almost in the wings.
Sao Paulo manager Rogerio Ceni almost confirmed that the defender will be leaving the club in January when his contract ends. “I face this (the exits) as a normal thing. I regret the way they leave. It was for the club to make good money with these players. What we regret most is a young player like Luizão, with a contract ending in January, leaving free.”
The defender would not be a starter if he arrives in the winter as sufficient acclimatization needs to be done before unleashing the player against the Premier League attackers.
South American defenders tend to negate the opposition attacks with their no-nonsense defending while they also command a presence in their area. Luizao has all the attributes to shine in the English top flight and he could soon be seen in London donning the Hammers’ jersey.
Agreeing to personal terms with the player won’t be a problem, while a free transfer would allow Moyes to invest more rigorously to address his other concerns.
West Ham have had to face difficulties this season as they are just one point adrift of the relegation zone. A European spot is looking like a distant dream but an improved performance in the latter part of the season could revive their current status.
