As Graham Potter waits for some much-needed wriggle room at the Premier League outfit, West Ham United are clearly not the only club in European football looking to buy before they sell.
Speaking to Hammers News last week, a club source insisted that ‘anything can happen’ between now and the start of September. A more optimistic message, perhaps, but hardly one which dispels the feeling that West Ham United must sell in order to raise funds for new arrivals.
The London Stadium outfit were planning to ‘reinvent’ Graham Potter’s squad around a core of hungry young talent.
Hence, why West Ham have identified Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha as a leading target for the centre-forward department. And while head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay wants Raphael Onyedika if Tomas Soucek departs.
But as things stand, and despite claims that West Ham held initial discussions with Onyedika a few weeks back, no new faces feel particularly imminent.
The same can be said over in Italy with Lazio.
And, with president Claudio Lotito playing down claims of a move for Hammers left-back Emerson Palmieri, the Hammers will continue to be kept waiting for that first domino to fall.
Lazio president Claudio Lotito plays down links with West Ham United’s Emerson Palmieri
The Serie A giants were reportedly planning to bring Emerson Palmieri back to the Stadio Olimpico.
The former Roma favourite found himself on Lazio’s radar, following the shock return of his one-time Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri to the Biancocelesti dugout.
But, as Lotito explains in conversation with Il Messaggero, no one will be arriving until the fat is successfully trimmed from a bloated squad.
“There is no need to buy at this time,” the straight-talking Lotito explains. “Rather, the problem is the opposite. We have to sell because there are too many surplus players.
“We are talking about 28 outfield players for one competition [Serie A] plus the Coppa Italia.”
Lazio are hardly short of offers. Nicolo Rovella, Gustaf Isaksen and star striker Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos all have plenty of admirers, alongside ex-Arsenal duo Mateo Guendouzi and Nuno Tavares.
But, while many of Lazio’s other players may be free to go, clearly Lotito is determined to retain his prized quintet.
“We have strong players. The fact that the whole world wants them is proof of that,” the president adds. “I said ‘no’ to important offers for Rovella, Tavares, Isaksen, Guendouzi and Castellanos.”
Serie A giants won’t sell Taty Castellanos to West Ham
A familiar name to the London Stadium faithful, West Ham have been linked with Castellanos since his MLS days with New York City FC.
The Argentine international has blossomed since crossing the Atlantic – Castellanos famously scored four times against Real Madrid in a Girona shirt – but Lazio consider the former La Liga hitman ‘unsellable’ this summer.
The chances of Lazio accepting Emerson as part of a player-plus-cash swap deal which would see Castellanos go in the other direction, then, look slim.
Lotito does explain, however, that the chain-smoking, tab-chewing Sarri will be given plenty of control when it comes to recruitment.
And, if reports are to be believed, Sarri has identified Emerson Palmieri as his first-choice left-back target, six years after they celebrated Europa League glory together at Stamford Bridge.
“Have you seen what [Antonio] Conte did in Naples?,” Lotito adds, the Partenopei jumping from tenth to first in one season under another highly-experienced Serie A tactician.
“I took Sarri to make everyone perform at their best. He will evaluate the entire squad [during pre-season]. If he doesn’t like someone, then he will be sold and a replacement will be signed.”
Fabrizio Romano reports that Emerson will leave West Ham this summer. The Brazil-born Italy international has been informed by Potter that he is free to pursue a fresh start.
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