West Ham are interested in signing Barcelona ace Rafinha, according to a report from Mundo Deportivo.
In other news…Report claims Lyon want to sign ‘expensive’ West Ham ace
The Hammers brought Tomas Soucek to the London Stadium on loan in January before making his deal a permanent one in July.
We then had to wait until today before our second signing of the summer transfer window. Vladimir Coufal joined West Ham from Slavia Prague on a three-year deal, in a move that should ease our right-back woes.
David Moyes’s business should be far from finished, however.
We desperately need another centre-back. And the addition of a centre-forward would not go a miss either.
But Mundo Deportivo suggest that West Ham are in fact lining up a move for an attack-minded, play-making midfielder – Barcelona’s Rafinha.
It is claimed that the Hammers could pick the Brazilian up for just £14.5 million.
That would represent decent value for someone who has ‘outstanding technical ability’, according to Total Football Analysis.
Stats
The two-capped Brazil international racked up four goals and one assist in 29 La Liga games during a loan spell with Celta Vigo last season (Transfermarkt).
Rafinha is technically gifted, possesses a wonderfully wide range of passing and can create something out of nothing.
In 29 La Liga outings last season, the Barca ace averaged 44.1 passes per game with a superb completion rate of 87.1% (Who Scored).
His talent is undeniable, but if we are being honest, Moyes should be focusing his attention elsewhere. It is absolutely vital for West Ham to sign a centre-back and a centre-forward before the transfer window closes.
Rafinha is a great player, but he would be a luxury that we quite simply don’t need at the moment.
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