West Ham United are planning to lure Giovanni Simeone to the Premier League this January but, speaking to DAZN, Hellas Verona president Maurizio Setti has made it clear that the striker is going nowhere.
After a frustrating 2020/21 campaign at relegation-battlers Cagliari, Simeone was determined to go the extra mile and make an immediate impression at his new club.
So much so that he even devoted countless hours during his honeymoon preparing himself for the current campaign.
A penny for Mrs Simeone’s thoughts, then.
But with the Spain-born Argentina international in the form of his life, scoring nine times in 14 Serie A matches since joining Hellas Verona in the summer, those sacrifices are certainly paying dividends.
Do West Ham have a chance to sign Giovanni Simeone?
According to The Express, a West Ham side with just one senior centre-forward at their disposal – the overworked Michail Antonio – have identified Simeone as their top striker target ahead of the January transfer window.
David Moyes’ Hammers failed with a loan bid for the £14 million-rated Simeone over the summer.
And with Hellas Verona’s president insisting that the one-time Fiorentina youngster is fully committed to the Serie A surprise packages, then don’t be surprised if West Ham are left disappointed again.
“Giovanni is happy with us and we are happy with his performances,” says Setti, via CalcioNews24.
“He always behaves like a great professional. The intention to continue on this path together is there.
“‘Cholito’ is doing well, on both sides there is a great desire to stay together,” he adds, via Tuttomercatoweb.
Simeone scored all four goals in Hellas Verona’s crushing victory over Lazio in October and followed that up with a stunning brace against Juventus six days later.
Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid to Verona’s gung-ho goalscorer is that no one is referring to him as ‘Diego’s son’ these days. Simeone Jr is making a name for himself in his own right.
West Ham have also been linked with Clermont Foot’s Mohamed Bayo and Sparta Prague starlet Adam Hlozek.
If reports are to be believed, the London giants have submitted a £17 million offer for Basel’s Arthur Cabral too.
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