Pedro Obiang
According to a report by Daily Express, West Ham United midfielder Pedro Obiang is nearing a move to Sampdoria this summer.
New manager Manuel Pellegrini has brought in a bunch of new faces but it looks like Obiang could be heading towards the exit door. An earlier report from Tuttomercatoweb had stated that the Hammers’ London rivals Fulham are also interested in acquiring his services but for now, Obiang looks increasingly likely to move to the Serie A.
Obiang joined West Ham from Sampdoria back in 2015 and still has four years remaining on his contract, which runs until 2022.
Although the club struggled quite a bit under Slaven Bilic and David Moyes last season, Obiang was undoubtedly one of their better performers. In fact, he worked wonders with Cheikhou Kouyate in the heart of the midfield and was a force to reckon with until the end of the previous year.
Now, Pellegrini has already signed the likes of Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson this summer.
The former Manchester City manager has bolstered the club’s midfield department to a great extent and as far as Sampdoria are concerned, they do have a void to fill after Lucas Torreira’s departure to Arsenal. Obiang played for the Italian club prior to joining West Ham, meaning this could be a great opportunity for the player to reunite.
One might argue that Sampdoria have already completed a deal for Ronaldo Vieira from Leeds United, who is quite similar to Obiang in terms of gameplay. (BBC)
However, the West Ham star’s experience and skills will definitely help Vieira as well as the club. But when one takes a look at the situation at London Stadium, perhaps it would be better for West Ham to hold onto Obiang’s services for another season at least.
Kouyate has left the club to join Crystal Palace, meaning Pellegrini will require an added presence in the midfield department. Wilshere is a solid player but his tendency to pick up injuries could create a tough situation for the Hammers in Obiang’s absence.
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Hence, since West Ham are not at risk of losing Obiang for free next summer, perhaps they should retain his services for the upcoming season before arriving at a decision.