West Ham United continue to dominate the rumour mill as the Hammers seek to add a few quality players before the start of the 2019-20 Premier League season.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side has been linked with a host of talents, with the latest being French midfielder Baptiste Santamaria, who currently plays for Angers in Ligue 1.
The 24-year-old moved to Angers from Tours in 2016 for a fee of €400,000 and has gone on to become an important player for his side.
As per French outlet L’Equipe cited by Sport Witness, the midfielder could be bought by West Ham for anywhere between €6-8 million in the transfer window.
The defensive midfielder had a strong year for Angers in the 2018-19 season, and was one of their key players, playing 40 games in all competitions and scoring a goal.
Santamaria has made over hundred appearances for the French side. His contract with his current club expires in 2022. Here is a SWOT analysis of the player:
Strengths
Santamaria is a strong presence in front of the back four, shielding the defence from attacks with his strong tackling and interceptions.
A dependable player in the deeper midfield, Santamaria can break down opposition plays and initiate attacks with good passes to players in and around him.
He also likes to dribble with the ball at his feet and get on the end of crosses inside the penalty box with his late, driving runs.
Weaknesses
For someone with the technique and the energy of Santamaria, he doesn’t score or assist a lot of goals, which is one area that could be a cause for concern for the Hammers as they already have Declan Rice who serves as a defensive midfielder.
Opportunities
West Ham could be in a better position to sign him considering they finished in mid-table last season and have a much more talented squad than Aston Villa, who are the other team interested in signing him.
The Hammers have the financial muscle to outbid and offer better wages compared to Villa. Also, considering West Ham’s midfielders were pretty injury prone and inconsistent last season, Santamaria is likely to get good playing time.
Threats
Newly promoted Premier League side Aston Villa, are also keen on adding Santamaria to their side, while Italian team Fiorentina is another club in the running to sign the 24-year-old.
Aston Villa have been tracking Santamaria since December and could put up a strong fight to sign the defensive midfielder.
The pace of the game in England might also be too much for Santamaria as Ligue 1’s style isn’t the same.
