As reported West Ham United target Kevin Lomonaco earned his first call-up for the Argentine national team this month, Premier League icon Sergio Aguero may have felt pretty vindicated.
Shortly before the reports first emerged in May suggesting that West Ham were prepared to make an offer for the Club Atletico Independiente defender, Manchester City hero Aguero talked up Kevin Lomonaco’s chances of forcing his way into Lionel Scaloni’s squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
A maiden Argentina call up would finally arrive just weeks later.
And while Lomonaco is still awaiting his Albiceleste debut – he did not get on the field in June’s World Cup qualifying clashes with Chile and Colombia – the reported West Ham United target is clearly heading in the right direction.
His next step at club level, if reports are to be believed, could be a move which sees him follow in Aguero’s footsteps on the other side of the Atlantic.
Kevin Lomonaco in the dark regarding West Ham United rumours
The 6ft 4ins Lomonaco opened the door to a potential switch to West Ham early in the year. The Argentine colossus turned down Qatari advances, too, in favour of a potential future on European soil.
Though, with those West Ham links going into overdrive during the international break, Lomonaco sounded very much like a man in the dark when quizzed on any recent developments.
“Who said that? I don’t know anything, but there’s so much talk,” a bemused Lomonaco said when asked to share any updates regarding a potential departure from Independiente, clubs in Mexico also reportedly interested in the former Lanus, Tigre and Red Bull Bragantino defender.
“Today, the truth is, I’m stuck here [on international duty].”
Kevin Lomonaco has a £17 million release clause in his Independiente contract. Daniel Seoane, the club’s general secretary, confirmed recently that the Argentine outfit had little interest in haggling.
The message being; either trigger that clause or don’t bother picking up the phone.
“They are players we will not sell for less than their release clause,” Seoane informed Infierno Rojo,. “They are the backbone of the team, and what we discussed with the coach [Julio Vaccari] is not to dismantle that.
“We don’t negotiate players in Argentine soccer.
“There were calls and inquiries not only for Kevin Lomonaco, Felipe Loyola and Alvaro Angulo but for a whole host of players. [But] no firm offers have come in.”
Lomonaco could be a Konstantinos Mavropanos upgrade at West Ham
A right-footed centre-half who excels with the ball at his feet, there are shades of Konstantinos Mavropanos in Lomonaco. Like the former Arsenal and Stuttgart man, he loves to make marauding runs into midfield with an elegance which belies a rangy 6ft-plus frame.
Mavropanos has struggled badly as a West Ham player, however, his spell at the London Stadium beset by numerous defensive errors.
Amid claims that the Hammers are targeting Inter Milan’s Yann Bisseck too amongst a host of other talented central defenders, one suspects Mavropanos will be allowed to leave if an affordable replacement can be found.
“He’s a national team player,” Aguero said, sending a message which former West Ham full-back and World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni clearly took notice of.
“[Lomonaco] is fast, strong. A phenomenon. Although the defence is already somewhat built, I think if Scaloni needs him, he’ll call him up.”
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