West Ham United In The Race For 25-year-old Portuguese Defender: Should The Hammers Prioritise Him? | OneFootball

Tiago Djalo might once again be a big name in the transfer market for the Premier League clubs. The Portuguese defender, who has failed to establish himself at either Juventus or Porto, could have another chance in England.

Several Premier League clubs have set their sights on the 25-year-old centre-back, who is still looking for stability since leaving Lille at the start of 2024. West Ham have emerged as one of the teams interested, determined to strengthen their defence for next season. They are not alone, as Crystal Palace have also been keeping a close eye on the player for months and could reactivate their interest.

West Ham United In The Race For Tiago Djalo

According to Tuttosport, the London outfit have already made contact to explore the possibility of signing Djalo this summer. The Amadora-born defender has hardly been given any playing time in his last few clubs, but still has a good reputation in the market. At Porto, he made just 17 appearances and played 1,303 minutes in all competitions, although he did score two goals. Crystal Palace have been interested for some time, but West Ham appear to have made the first formal move with this initial enquiry. The duel between the two English clubs has been set, and a direct battle is expected in the coming weeks.

PORTO, PORTUGAL – OCTOBER 24: Tiago Djalo of FC Porto celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between FC Porto and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Estadio do Dragao on October 24, 2024 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

T4O Opinion:

Djalo could offer a solution to a West Ham defence that has had too many doubts of late. Mavropanos has not fully convinced, and they need depth in their backline. Against that backdrop, signing a centre-back like Djalo makes sense. Even so, it is a risky move. The Portuguese has not achieved consistency in his previous clubs, and that always generates uncertainty. But if he can get back into a competitive rhythm, he could be a useful signing.

However, West Ham need to be firm. Crystal Palace have the upper hand in tracking the player, and losing him to a direct rival would be an unnecessary blow. The club must assess whether Djalo is really the missing piece to shore up their defence or whether they should look at other options.

The priority must focus on finding a defender who can offer reliability, physicality and a good reading of the game. If they believe Djalo can fit in there, they should take a big gamble. There is no room for grey signings in a squad that has already failed too much at the back. The time for doubts is over, and if they believe in Djalo, let them go all in.