According to The Sun, West Ham striker Lucas Perez is in talks over a £2m move to Deportivo Alaves. Perez wants to return to Spain after a frustrating season at West Ham.
The 30-year-old joined from Arsenal last summer. But Manuel Pellegrini has been reluctant to use him regularly. In 19 games, he has scored six goals but has failed to make a permanent first-team breakthrough.
A summer exit looks inevitable for the Spaniard. And a return to Spain seems to be his best option. Alaves could offer Perez the chance to play La Liga football again.
But this could be a transfer which interests West Ham. The Hammers’ top defender target is Guillermo Maripan (according to Football.London). He is currently playing for Alaves.
With Alaves keen on Perez and West Ham eager to sign Maripan, perhaps a compromise could be struck. Perhaps West Ham could use Perez to knock Maripan’s price down a bit.
How much will Guillermo Maripan cost?
Perez will reportedly leave West Ham for £2m so this is obviously not going to be a straight swap deal. But if West Ham can negotiate a lower price for Maripan, it could be a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Various stories have reported West Ham’s interest in Maripan with different figures. According to The Daily Mail, the 25-year-old has a release clause of £21m in his contract but the Irons want to sign him £9.5m.
Reports in Spain back these figures up. According to Marca, Alaves have been resting the Chilean defender because they are ready to cash in this summer. Alaves plan to sell Maripan for €25m (which roughly equates to his £21m clause).
Using Perez as a makeweight in this deal could knock his price below the £20m mark and make him more affordable. And if reports of a £9.5m bid are true, then £7.5m plus Perez could be a bargain for the Hammers.
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