West Ham in pole position to land enforcer from La Liga giants – report
West Ham are in pole position to sign Barcelona defender Marlon despite the fact he is currently on a two-year loan at French outfit Nice, according to a report.
Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo claims that the Hammers are in the lead to land the 22-year-old enforcer and that the La Liga giants are waiting for a formal offer.
Marlon has impressed this campaign in the heart of the Nice defender and the Brazilian has previously attracted interest from Leicester City.
Football Insider verdict:
Marlon is a highly-rated defender that was sent away from Barcelona to experience regular football and has adapted well in France, particularly in the second half of the 2017/18 campaign. He is a ball-playing centre-back with a range of passing and also has a physical presence that could make him formidable in the Premier League. However, West Ham’s only reservation should be the minimal experience under his belt and it would be some ask to throw him into the starting XI at the London Stadium next year. It remains to be seen if Manuel Pellegrini’s side will press ahead with a formal offer for the defender, but it appears like a move from Barcelona to England is firmly on the cards. There is certainly a need to add a couple of extra centre-backs to the West Ham squad ahead of next year and changes seem certain after a poor defensive season.
In other West Ham transfer news, Rangers are plotting a bid to sign an enforcer exiting the London Stadium this summer.
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