OPINION
All in all, West Ham fans must be delighted with their club’s work during the summer transfer window.
The Hammers have brought in some genuine quality up front in Sebastien Haller and Albian Ajeti, another exciting talent in midfield with the addition of Pablo Fornals, and a promising young centre half in Goncalo Cardosa.
A good window all round, and one that will no doubt have left Manuel Pellegrini feeling pleased with himself.
The Chilean has managed to bolster well, while still saving around £6 million from his wage bill, as reported by Football.London (17.58).
But one detail that will no doubt have left him fuming will be the suggestion that Valencia, the same side that snatched Maxi Gomez from under his nose earlier this summer, are interested in another long term target of his.
According to reliable journalist Maks Cardenas, the Spanish side are interested in Alaves defender Guillermo Maripan, just days after the Hammers were backed to make a late bid for his services by the Daily Mail.
After the English window slammed shut on Thursday evening, the Irons are out of the race for the defender’s signature, for this summer at least, and while Pellegrini still managed to bring in Cardosa, and for a fraction of the price, in an ideal world you can rest assured that the manager would rather have had Maripan.
The 6’4″ colossus [Whoscored] was fantastic for Alaves last year, registering 5.8 clearances per 90 minutes, as well as 2.1 successful tackles per 90, and a Whoscored rating of 7.2 for the season.
What a signing he would have been, but after this latest report, it looks as if that ship might have sailed, and Pellegrini, for all of his successes this summer, must be wondering about what might have been.
