West Ham United Are Showing Interest In This Serie A Defender: Should The Hammers Get Him On Board? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Gianluca Di Marzio stated that West Ham United are showing interest in Udinese defender Nehuen Perez this summer. It has been claimed that the Hammers are eyeing a move to secure the services of the Argentine centre-back later this year.

Perez had a solid campaign at Udinese as he managed to put in a string of dominant displays at the heart of their backline. The Argentine defensive ace made 36 appearances for the Italian outfit last season, picking up one assist in various competitions.

The 23-year-old has been a rock at the back and deserves credit for averaging 2.0 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has even distributed the ball well from inside his half based on his pass completion rate of 80.3% in the Italian top tier (stats via whoscored).

His current contract at the Italian club will expire in the summer of 2027. Hence, the Hammers would have to make a big offer if they want to recruit the Argentine centre-half in this transfer window.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MARCH 22: Nehuen Perez #2 of Argentina controls the ball against El Salvador during the international friendly at Lincoln Financial Field on March 22, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Argentina defeated El Salvador 3-0. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Should West Ham United Get Perez On Board This Summer?

Perez loves a tackle and can time his challenges well to secure the ball back for his team at the back. He doesn’t hesitate to clear the danger when needed and excels at playing his way out from inside his half. Standing at 1.86m, the Argentine sensation can be a strong presence in the air as well. He is primarily a central defender but can also function as a right-back if told to do so.

We can expect Perez to add more bite and steel to West Ham‘s backline. He has got the skillset to be a success story at the London Stadium if he can make a smooth transition to life in Premier League football.

At 23, Perez has got a bright future ahead of him and would be a terrific addition to the East London club‘s squad this summer. He could help the Hammers cope with fixture congestion better in the future. Thus, it makes sense for West Ham to go all out to get Perez on board before the start of the new campaign.