West Ham United and Crystal Palace are keen on Mateo Retegui but the Italy international’s father is playing down reports of a potential Premier League switch.
After marking his Azzurri debut with a goal against England, and then following it up with a thumping header against Malta, 23-year-old Retegui could be forgiven for getting a little ahead of himself.
Especially with interest on the rise, Corriere dello Sport saying that the striker’s agent is due in England for talks with a number of interested parties. West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion are rumoured to be among them.
But, according to Retegui’s Sr, a summer of speculation can wait.
West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brighton like Italy’s Mateo Retegui
“The future? Today, his mind is totally on Tigre and the Azzurri,” Carlos Retegui tells Sport Italia of a man on loan at Club Atletico Tigre from Argentine league rivals Boca Juniors.
“He must remain calm and keep his feet on the ground. He must think of nothing but learning and improving. I am very happy and proud that Mateo is part of the Italian national team. And I am very grateful to (Italy manager) Roberto Mancini, his staff and all his teammates who welcomed him in an excellent way.
“It is an honour to have someone like Mancini train him. And Mateo will be forever grateful to him for the trust he has placed in him.”
Retegui, who was once labelled an ‘incredible talent’ by the legendary Francesco Totti and has since been described as a ‘world-class’ number nine, has scored 31 goals in his last 53 games for club and country.
‘Retegui knows how to put the ball in the net’
Tigre have a £2 million option-to-buy clause in Retegui’s contract. Trigger it, and the Argentine outfit will almost certainly be able to command a substantial profit for a player who’s reputation has sky-rocketed this side of the Atlantic.
Retegui is one of a handful of strikers on West Ham’s radar ahead of the summer window. Spezia powerhouse M’Bala Nzola is another option, alongside Coventry City talisman Viktor Gyokeres.
“Retegui knows how to put the ball in the net,” Mancini says of his Argentine-born poacher. “And that is not nothing.”
“That is what we saw when we were scouting him. He still needs time. He must get to know European football. But he knows how to score, and that is an important quality.
“He tried, that is already good. Having Retegui in Serie A would make him stronger, help him learn the language and consequently communicate better with his teammates on the field.”
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