Transfer Speculation
According to a recent report by The Sun, West Ham United are interested to sign Brazilian midfielder Thiago Mendes this summer. The London based outfit have reportedly placed a bid of £18million to prise him out of the ranks of Lille despite the fact that Mendes joined the French side only last summer.
Apart from Manuel Pellegrini’s camp, fellow Premier League sides Crystal Palace, Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United, Italian outfit Lazio and German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg are also believed to be in the race to make Mendes sign on the dotted line.
A Breeze Of Change
After his appointment as the manager of West Ham United, Pellegrini has inarguably left no stone unturned to beef up the quality in his ranks. He has already broken his side’s transfer record twice and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mendes being lured to the London Stadium if the Chilean actually wants him.
The Hammers have already signed Jack Wilshere, Lukasz Fabianski, Issa Diop, Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko, Fabian Balbuena and Ryan Fredericks and there is no denying that they already look like a very strong side on paper.
Fact File Of Mendes
The midfielder emerged through the youth ranks of Goias and after impressing for their senior side, he moved to Sao Paolo. After a couple of seasons with the Brazilian side, he was signed by Lille on a five-year contract last summer.
Attributes
Predominantly a central defensive midfielder, Mendes has the calibre to play anywhere in the middle of the park and his versatility is one of his strongest suits. He can defend and at the same time, he takes very little time to release the ball to the other more illustrious attacking players ahead of him.
The 26-year-old is an astute passer and is comfortable when in possession of the ball. He showcases immense work-ethic and has the energy to toil relentlessly throughout the 90 minutes. Besides, he operates with a considerable degree of tenacity and no wonder his stocks are highly rated.
How Did He Fare Last Season?
Mendes garnered 31 appearances in Ligue 1 under his belt last season, scoring 3 goals and registering 4 assists. He cultivated a pass completion rate of 86.3%, which is really commendable. Besides, he made 0.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.8 clearances and 0.1 block per game on an average.
Why West Ham United Need Him?
The Irons might have Wilshere in their ranks now but Pellegrini seems to be keen to bolster his midfield further. Mendes would be an immediate upgrade over the ageing Mark Noble and he would certainly bring drive and flair to the ranks of the Chilean boss.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored