West Ham United are allegedly now in talks to sign Red Bull Bragantino centre-back Leo Ortiz.
Yesterday, we covered claims suggesting that the 26-year-old is very excited at the prospect of joining the Hammers after a report claimed that David Moyes is interested in acquiring his services.
READ: Moyes tried to bring £22 million player back to West Ham according to agent
And now, Globo Esporte claim that West Ham are in talks to bring the 26-year-old defender to the London Stadium for around £8 million in the summer transfer window.
Now, David Moyes’s need for a new centre-back is common knowledge.
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Nayef Aguerd is believed to be close to joining the East London club (L’Equipe) but it could be argued that Moyes does actually need to sign another centre-back on top of the Moroccan.
With Angelo Ogbonna now on the wrong side of 34, Craig Dawson having recently turned 32 and Issa Diop facing an uncertain future at the London Stadium, perhaps Moyes will be after another central defender.
And it seems as though that is exactly the case…
West Ham in talks to sign Leo Ortiz
Globo Esporte reckon that the Hammers have opened talks with Red Bull Bragantino about potentially signing the 26-year-old centre-back for £8 million this summer.
We have to say, West Ham should surely be aiming a lot higher than the Brazilian.
He stands at just 6ft 1in tall and is hardly the most physically imposing of centre-backs.
The 26-year-old has decent pace but he is far from the quickest either.
The Premier League is the most frenetically passed, powerful and intense league in world football. Moving to England from Brazil may well be a tough thing to do for Ortiz.
The report claiming that West Ham are in talks to sign Leo Ortiz seems strange to us.
There are so many more positions in urgent need of attention at the London Stadium. And once the Aguerd deal is done, Moyes should be focusing all of his attention on signing a centre-forward, a left-back and a central midfielder.
Read other West Ham news:
West Ham want to sign 25-year-old Bayern Munich ace – report
Report: West Ham open talks to sign £6 million ace
Insider claims West Ham willing to make £13 million loss on 17-capped international
Moyes tried to bring £22 million player back to West Ham according to agent