West Ham United are inching closer to signing Luizao from Sao Paulo for a modest fee with his contract running out in January.
According to 90 Min, West Ham and 20-year-old Brazilian defender Luizao have a pre-agreement. Sao Paulo have seen two offers rejected by the centre-back as his contract expires at the end of January.
West Ham United could bring in a new centre-back in January. David Moyes has been keen on a defender for quite some time, as the backline still looks vulnerable. Thilo Kehrer and Nayef Aguerd were signed in the summer, but both are yet to integrate fully.
There are many ageing defenders, which allows Moyes to refresh his options. Kurt Zouma, Kehrer and Aguerd could have another player for company while the club phases out Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson. The Hammers are in the market for a player with a younger profile.
Brazilian Luizao is the name firmly linked with a move. The report suggests the Hammers have a pre-agreement in place with the 20-year-old Brazilian defender. Many clubs were keen on the Sao Paulo star, but Moyes seems to have got a foothold on the move.
The suggestion is a three-and-a-half-year deal, which the Hammers have reportedly agreed on. They will also pay a modest fee as Sao Paulo repeats another error in getting good value for their young players. They lost Marquinhos to Arsenal earlier in the summer, who spent a marginal €3 million fee.
Luizao finds himself in a similar situation and has rejected at least two contract offers from Sao Paulo. West Ham got around the deal and have now taken the next steps towards securing the Brazilian defender.
Fulham were also keen on the player, who may have chosen to sign for the other club in London. The suggestion of a three-and-a-half-year deal also allows the Brazilian defender to move quickly if big clubs come calling in a year or two.
Luizao could now seek decent playing time with the Hammers and work alongside promising young stars like Kehrer and Aguerd.
