West Ham look to have dodged a bullet after a shocking revelation about a star Arsenal have beaten them to signing.
West Ham and Arsenal have both been active in the early throes of the summer transfer window.
The Hammers are in the midst of a major rebuild as they target around eight new signings.
Arsenal are also looking to fine tune their excellent side in a bid to finally pip Man City to the Premier League title at the third time of asking next season.
For new West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui the priority for his overhaul has been clear.
It has been reported Lopetegui wants two new centre-backs and at least one versatile full-back signed.
It’s easy to see why after the Hammer shipped 74 goals in the Premier League last season – an unwelcome new club record.
Arsenal, by contrast, conceded just 29 goals – the least in top flight.
Arsenal hijacked move for Hammers target
So when West Ham moved for one of their top central defensive targets a couple of weeks ago, the club were somewhat surprised to see the Gunners suddenly enter the running to hijack the deal.
But West Ham have dodged a bullet after a revelation about a star Arsenal have now beaten them to.
The player in question being Bologna and Italy ace Riccardo Calafiori.
Lopetegui was keen to sign the Italian defender with Max Kilman also a top target – as evidenced by the fact the Hammers have just signed for £40m from Wolves.
Calafiori spoke a couple of seasons ago about his admiration for West Ham and even suggested that a move to the Premier League was his dream.
Given his admiration for the Hammers and Calcio Mercato claiming Calafiori was available for a reasonable £34 million, hopes were high West Ham might be able to land him.
That situation has now developed significantly, though, with Mikel Arteta giving the green light for Arsenal to bring Calafiori to he Emirates, dashing West Ham’s plans.
West Ham relief after revelation about star Arsenal have beaten them to
Arsenal’s interest drove up the price to beyond West Ham’s reach.
And Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Gunners have now agreed a deal for Calafiori worth around £45m.
But now a revelation from ESPN will have West Ham feeling they may have got away with one by missing out to their London rivals.
ESPN has highlighted the woeful injury record of Calafiori over the last six years.
In that time Calafiori has been laid off by illness or injury on 15 separate occasions.
In the main a mixture of muscle and ligament injuries have kept the reportedly imminent Arsenal signing out for spells on a regular basis.
Ligament injuries and COVID saw Calafiori miss 89 matches in two years during his time at Roma.
Three separate hamstring injuries and a muscular issue then kept him out for another 37 matches in the next 18 months at Roma, leading to the Italian giants letting him go out on loan to Genoa before he joined Basel in a permanent deal.
In the two years since, a series of injuries listed as ‘unknown’ and more muscle issues have seen the alleged West Ham target miss another 25 matches.
Have West Ham dodged a bullet?
West Ham will be especially relieved when the injury records of Calafiori and new signing Kilman are compared side by side.
Kilman played every single minute of every game for Wolves last season. That is a record matched only by Arsenal’s brilliant William Saliba.
In fact ever-present Kilman has only missed one Premier League game in two seasons.
Calafiori was excellent for Italy out in Germany during their Euro 2024 stay.
And there is no doubt he is a top class operator after helping Bologna into the Champions League.
But West Ham may have the last laugh over Arsenal should Calafiori’s injury issues persist if and when he completes his big money switch to north London.
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