There is no one better than Tim Vickery to shine a light on the man who may yet be West Ham United’s next goalkeeper, and a long-term replacement for Alphonse Areola.
In the last week or so, Tottenham’s Antonin Kinsky, Chelsea’s Filip Jorgensen and Manchester City duo Stefan Ortega and James Trafford have all been linked with moves to the London Stadium. Then, there is Guillaume Restes.
While Charlie Cresswell is the dream signing for most West Ham United supporters, the man behind him between the sticks at Toulouse is reportedly a target himself.
But watch out for Bento Matheus.
West Ham are in hot pursuit of Bento but he does not fancy them…😖
What would YOU do to convince him to join?
Two weeks after the Daily Mail reported that West Ham had made a bid for the Al-Nassr and Brazil goalkeeper – allegedly an initial loan offer with a £10 million option-to-buy clause included – the collapse of his purported move to Serie A may have left the door ajar.
And, speaking to the West Ham Network on YouTube, South American oracle Tim Vickery can understand the logic of picking up where Genoa left off.
Tim Vickery backs West Ham United’s pursuit of Brazil goalkeeper Bento Matheus
After growing tired of waiting for Al-Nassr to give the green light, Genoa have moved in on Feyenoord’s Justin Bijlow.
As such, West Ham are now free to pursue the 26-year-old without facing a battle from the club he reportedly had his heart set on.
Bento has spent the last couple of seasons in Saudi Arabia. Vickery knows him well, though, with Bento starting Brazil’s most recent international against Toulouse in November.
That is one of six appearances he has made for the national team. A place in Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad – despite competition from Ederson and Alisson – is well within his grasp.
“I wouldn’t take anyone now straight in from South America because it usually takes them a fair while to adapt. You haven’t got that [concern with Bento],” Vickery says at a time when the Brazilian league is on pause from early-December to late-January.
Saudi teams, meanwhile, work on the same schedule as most of those in Europe. Including the Premier League.
“Bento, I think, is a sure thing. Good goalkeeper, very calm,” Vickery adds. “Last week, it looked like he was going to Italy, but that seems to have cooled.
“So, maybe there’s a chance there.
“There’s one aspect that I don’t know about, which is whether he speaks [the English] language. I mean, there are such multinational, multicultural dressing rooms in the Premier League that maybe he can get by in, but defending is a collective art, you know.
“Communication is absolutely vital. A goalkeeper does need to be able to communicate effectively with his defensive unit. I don’t know whether he’s developed language skills. Very few of them [learn to speak English fluently] straight out of Brazil.
“Maybe he’s picked something up in Saudi. I don’t know.”
Alan Pardew critical of Alphonse Areola despite big Tottenham win
What would YOU do with Alphonse Areola? 🧤
Should West Ham stick with him? Or sign a replacement?
Bento would join a collection of Portuguese speakers at West Ham though, from head coach Nuno Espirito Santo to Mateus Fernandes and Pablo Felipe.
On the other hand, Brazil teammate Lucas Paqueta is expected to join Flamengo while Brighton loanee Igor Julio is a target for Palmeiras.
Alphonse Areola, the club’s current first-choice, has not kept a clean sheet in 18 appearances this season. Former boss Alan Pardew feels that West Ham need an upgrade in the goalkeeping department, with Saturday’s London derby clash with Tottenham Hotspur seeing two of the more erratic shot-stoppers in the division go head-to-head.
Areola, and West Ham, would end up on the winning side though as Guglielmo Vicario’s flap gifted Callum Wilson a 93rd minute tap-in.
“Everybody just puts [their crosses] under the bar now,” Pardew tells talkSPORT.
“And you know what? I’ve been the centre-half [playing alongside] a goalie who was not great at crosses, who made the wrong decision, flapping at them, you know, missing them, getting himself in the wrong position, not strong enough, etc, etc…
“When you are defending, in that position when there’s all bodies around you, the centre-halves can’t jump properly. You can’t get off the ground.
“So, I don’t blame the centre-backs or any defenders in that situation. That’s a goalie problem, that [Wilson] goal.
“You cannot have a goalie who will not dictate at crosses. You’re asking for trouble. And actually, West Ham have got the same problem. He’s been a brilliant shot-stopper, but he’s very, very, very inconsistent on set-plays and dealing with [crosses].”
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