Besiktas to apply ‘Intense Pressure’ this week in bid sign Manuel Lanzini from West Ham United
Besiktas are set to apply “intense pressure” this week as they step up their bid to sign West Ham ace Manuel Lanzini on a free transfer, according to Fanatik.
The Argentine is out of contract at the London Stadium at the end of the season and could be set for a farewell appearance in the Europa Conference League final next week against Fiorentina.
But the Turkish giants are keen to get talks underway this week to convince him to move to Istanbul, and will make their move at the request of their manager.
“Dele Alli and Alexandru Maxim, whose loan contract will expire at the end of the season, will not continue on the road,” they wrote (29 May).
“Besiktaş, which will reinforce the number 10 line with the departure of these two, focused on the name of Manuel Lanzini, requested by Slaven Bilic, who was sitting in the coaching chair years ago.
“The contact with the Argentine number 10, whose contract with the English Premier League team West Ham United will expire in a few days, will be re-established in the new week.
“Intense pressure will be applied for the 30-year-old 1.67cm football player who fits the game planning of coach Senol Gunes.”
Time is right
We all love Lanzini and he will forever be remembered for scoring that goal against Tottenham, but the time is right now for him to move on.
Entering his 30’s he is no longer a youngster and with Pablo Fornals, Lucas Paqueta, Said Benrahma, Maxwel Cornet and Jarrod Bowen all ahead of him in the pecking order in the attacking midfield positions he is getting next to no game time.
He barely featured in the Premier League this season and was limited almost exclusively to the cup competitions, and he is too good for that role on a long-term basis.
West Ham are right not to renew his contract just for the sake of it and Besiktas would represent a great opportunity for him to continue to play in Europe at a high level, although they’ll have to compete with an offer he reportedly has from Argentina to go back home.
Either way the best way for him to sign off is with a European trophy in Prague, then we can wish him all the best in the rest of his career away from east London.