Luizao contract details emerge as Atletico MG eye transfer for West Ham defender
Atletico Mineiro are interested in signing West Ham defender Luizao on an initial loan deal, according to Lucas Tanaka.
The Brazilian influencer reported via his personal X account [12 December] that the loan deal would include an obligation to buy, though other clubs in the country are interested.
It is understood that Atletico MG would cover the 22-year-old’s salary during the player’s loan spell away from the London Stadium, taking him off the Hammers’ books after missing out on a summer exit.
West Ham United to finally get Luizao off the books?
The centre-back has yet to make his debut for the first team at the London Stadium despite arriving from Sao Paulo in December of 2022, mainly playing alongside some of the club’s most talented youngsters.
Luizao clearly has no future at the club as a 22-year-old still plying his trade in the academy while those around him leave on loan or gain minutes in the senior team.
Therefore, Atletico MG’s potential offer from Brazil would be the perfect opportunity to get the defender off the books and free up some funds, which could be important ahead of the January transfer window.
David Sullivan invested heavily during the summer transfer window, adding multiple defenders to the squad, yet the Hammers have continued to leak goals under Julen Lopetegui.
Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Konstantinos Mavropanos are all capable of being solid defenders in the Premier League but one more centre-back as a reinforcement could be important.
While getting rid of Luizao is unlikely to make a huge dent financially, it would mean Tim Steidten sucking up his pride and the club admitting one of their many transfer failures over the seasons.
There was a lot of expectation surrounding the young defender and that could be exactly why he has struggled to break into the first team in East London.
In other West Ham news, the club could already seek an exit for a 2024 signing, his actions do not represent the Hammers.
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