Udinese ready as West Ham United want Nehuen Perez transfer now

West Ham have their eyes on Udinese defender Nehuen Perez, according to La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

The newspaper reported in its print edition (page 30, 11 June) that the centre-back will cost the Hammers £16.9million.

Udinese are ready to let the 23-year-old Argentinian leave the club, with talkSPORTs’ Ian Abrahams reporting via X (10 June) that Perez is open to a move to the London Stadium.

In January he was close to joining Serie A side Napoli.

Julen Lopetegui looking to bring Nehuen Perez to West Ham United

One of Lopetegui’s main jobs next season will be to fix the Hammers’ defensive woes.

Things began to unravel toward the end of David Moyes’ time in charge of the club with only the three relegated teams last season conceding more times than West Ham.

If the East London outfit are keen on a return to Europe then things must improve at the back.

And it looks as if it will be a summer of change for the club in defence, with doubts emerging over the future of Nayef Aguerd (via The Sunday People, page 56, 9 June).

After a failed move for Fabricio Bruno, it looks as if the club have already moved on and identified their next target at centre-back.

West Ham, Nehuen Perez
Nehuen Perez has been linked to West Ham (Credit, La Gazzetta Dello Sport)

Perez played every minute of Udinese’s Serie A games last season apart from the two matches he missed through suspension.

He has been capped twice by Argentina and at the age of 23, he could be the perfect player for Lopetegui to mould into a top Premier League defender.

In other West Ham news, the club are in talks to sell a player just days after his contract extension.

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