The Stratford Scout

West Ham chasing Serie A attacker likened to Alexis Sanchez

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Image for West Ham chasing Serie A attacker likened to Alexis Sanchez

pereyra

If recent reports are to be believed, West Ham are interested in a move for Juventus midfielder Roberto Pereyra.

The Argentine has struggled to hold down a regular spot in Juventus’ first team and the Italian champions are willing to listen to offers within the £9 million region.

Since leaving River Plate, the same academy that produced Hammers star Manuel Lanzini, Pereyra moved to Europe and signed for Italian Serie A side Udinese.

His impressive performances earned him a move to Juventus on an initial loan deal and the club made the move permanent last summer for €14 million. The midfielder struggled with a thigh injury from October to February this season and that has halted his impact in Turin this year.

Would he suit West Ham?

It’s no secret that the Hammers are looking for another winger to add further competition to a strong attacking midfield.

Pereyra is a talented attacking midfielder who can play in a variety of positions. The Argentinian has been praised as an excellently creative midfielder, with former teammate Antonio Di Natale comparing him to Alexis Sanchez:

“Roberto is a great player. There are few midfielders around with his features. On the wing, as a midfielder or an attacking midfielder, he is flexible – he can play in multiple positions.

“And above all he has great quality. He is another [Alexis] Sanchez. Alexis is a more prolific goalscorer, but Roberto has a nice mix of quality and quantity.”

If the Hammers can sign up a player of Sanchez’s quality for as little as £9 million then it’s a bit of a no-brainer.

Another encouraging aspect to Pereyra’s style of play is his defensive work rate. He has often been commended for his determination to help the team out in a defensive sense:

“He defends like [Bayern midfielder Arturo] Vidal, but compared to the Chilean he has greater mobility.” claims Di Natale.

For £9 million a potential deal for the midfielder looks like a bit of a bargain. If the player can prove that he is fit then the Hammers should definitely move for the promising Argentine.

Pereyrastats

Picture courtesy of whoscored.com

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