Could Alvaro Negredo leave Valencia for West Ham? (Picture: Getty Images)

Valencia’s Alvaro Negredo could well be making a swift return to the Premier League if recent reports are proved to be correct.

Spanish sources indicate that Los Che manager Nuno Santo is no fan of the big target man and has sanctioned a loan move for the player.

Loaned to Valencia by Manchester City, the deal included an obligatory purchase at the end of the loan, but it appears that Santo is keen to get Negredo off of the books whether by hook or by crook.

Slaven Bilic is a fan of the more traditional centre-forward having worked with Demba Ba to great effect at Besiktas. It’s also worth casting a cursory eye over the Hammers’ performance at Arsenal to check the east Londoners are chock full of big, muscular exponents.




Arguably Negredo fits right into that team dynamic and West Ham’s interest in the player isn’t new of course.

In 2013, whilst Negredo was still plying his trade at Sevilla, the Hammers lodged a £14.5million bid which was ultimately refused by the club and the player himself.

It’s a sign of how quickly things change in football that the player would probably pay his own travel to Upton Park if it meant he would get a spot on the team.

Andy Carroll has struggled to stay fit since joining West Ham (Picture: EPA)

Andy Carroll remains an injury nightmare and with Enner Valencia out for three months at least, a proven goalscorer is needed.

Negredo, like so many other burly centre-forwards, thrives on decent service. Supporters can often be under the misapprehension that by not getting involved throughout a move, a particular player is somehow ‘lazy’ or under utilised.

Intricate passing triangles has never been Negredo’s meat and drink however and his purchase would certainly not require him to get involved to that extent. Ditto Carroll when fit.

Goals are his currency and in the right team, with wide men who deliver on a consistent basis, Negredo will profit handsomely.

There are bound to be question marks as to his suitability given that he has been canned by both Man City and Valencia in quick succession, but both Pellegrini and Santo are looking to play a different style which doesn’t suit the Spaniard’s natural game.

Don’t forget that the player scored 23 goals in 33 games in a lightning-quick start for City and is still only 29 years of age with a few good seasons in him yet.

Adept at hold-up play and bringing others into the fold, and as decent a target man as you’ll find for the price, West Ham could do worse than taking a punt.

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