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Pellegrini still wants Mandi

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West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini would still like to sign Real Betis defender Aissa Mandi, according to Lebuteur.

The online sports outlet claim on their website that the Chilean still has his eyes set on the Algerian international, who has impressed in La Liga in the past couple of seasons.

Lebuteur report that the 28-year-old still has a contract until 2021, and that his release clause is currently between £25.8million and £30.1million after becoming indisputable to the Spanish side.

It is suggested that the shining enforcer has attracted interest from a number of sides as well as the Hammers this season.

OPINION

It is hard to see West Ham going out in the January transfer window and splashing out near-£30million for a defender when they already have a number of options already at the club. With Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena having formed a solid relationship last season, Angelo Ogbonna has also come in during this campaign and impressed for the Hammers – it would be hard to see where Mandi would fit into that. The 28-year-old has only won an average of 2.7 aerial battles per game according to WhoScored and could struggle with the physical demands of the Premier League, especially when you compare that Balbuena has almost won double the amount of the Algerian already. West Ham need goals this season, and to think that Pellegrini would go out in the January window and spend a big chunk of his budget on a defender seems unreasonable and more to the point, unnecessary.

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