The agent of Independiente midfielder Maximiliano Meza claims that West Ham United have had talks over a move for the player.
Sergio Carizzo told Argentinian outlet El Crack Deportivo that the Hammers are one of five teams looking at the 26-year-old, who is valued at £13 million [Transfermarkt].
Italian heavyweights Inter Milan, and Spanish trio Getafe, Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid are the other clubs named by Carizzo, all of whom have more time than West Ham left to complete a deal.
He also said that no official offer had come in for the player but that Manuel Pellegrini was keen.
Meza is a versatile midfielder who can operate centrally as well as wide on the right. He is probably best known in England for his torrid displays at this summer’s World Cup, however, as he struggled in Jorge Sampaoli’s flop of a team.
OPINION
This one seems to have come out of nowhere, with Meza not likely to have been high on Hammers supporters wish lists this summer. At 26 he is a good age, just now approaching his prime, while he appears to be a versatile and technically-gifted player. His performances at the World Cup were disconcerting, but no one shone in that shambles of an Argentina team. Whether West Ham see him as a winger or as a number 10 remains to be seen, but his versatility would be a valuable asset for Manuel Pellegrini this season. It’s unlikely that a deal will get done, though. The East London outfit have by far the least time of the teams mentioned to get a deal done, while Meza would surely favour a move to Inter or Atletico over West Ham. A signing like Meza wouldn’t make or break the Hammers, so it’s probably best to leave this deal for now and maybe revisit it in January if the club is still interested.
