West Ham United recently approached Atletico Madrid with a bid worth €25 million to sign Rodrigo De Paul, with Los Rojiblancos knocking it back.
According to a report by MARCA, as relayed by Sport Witness, Rodrigo De Paul is the subject of interest from West Ham United. The Hammers have been scouring the market for a versatile midfielder heading into the winter transfer window. So, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner has emerged as a target, with the East London club failing with a bid worth €25 million to sign him from Atletico Madrid.
Rodrigo De Paul and his career so far
Rodrigo De Paul has been one of the most dependable performers in Serie A and La Liga during his stints with clubs in Europe. A native of Sarandi, the South American midfield spent his formative years in Argentina and graduated from the youth division at Racing Club.
The experienced midfielder’s first foray into Europe came with Valencia before his stock soared during his spell with Udinese. Atletico Madrid beat stiff competition to sign the 30-year-old in July 2021, and he has gone from strength to strength since then. De Paul has turned out over 150 times thus far for Los Rojiblancos while chipping in with 14 goals and 21 assists.
In addition, De Paul was a critical member of the squad that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, the Argentine international faces an uncertain future at Estadio Metropolitano after entering the final 18 months of his contract. The situation has not gone unnoticed, with West Ham United among the prospective suitors vying for his signature.
London calling?
West Ham United’s interest in Rodrigo De Paul makes sense. The Hammers have been scouring the market for a versatile midfielder heading into the winter transfer window. While Graham Potter has a stacked midfield unit in his squad, Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, and Tomas Soucek have blown hot and cold.
So, West Ham should invest in a top-notch midfielder this month, with several candidates, including Angel Gomes, emerging on the East London club’s radar. However, De Paul is also a viable target, considering his doggedness in the middle of the park So, West Ham offered €25 million to sign the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner from Atletico Madrid.
However, the Colchoneros have turned down West Ham’s bid, with a winter exit not on the cards. While a club can tempt the 30-year-old Argentine international with the last “big contract” of his career. However, with West Ham’s bid worth €25 million failing, a summer deal is likelier than a winter agreement.