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Manuel Pellegrini allegedly close to signing Gary Medel, but it will only annoy West Ham fans

Gary Medel of Chile controls the ball during the international friendly match between Mexico and Chile at La Corregidora Stadium on October 16, 201...
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West Ham United are reportedly keen on signing the Besiktas ace.

Chile's Gary Medel (C) vies for the ball with Paraguay's Miguel Almiron (L) and Miguel Samudio during their 2018 World Cup qualifier football match, in Santiago, on August 31, 2017.

West Ham are close to completing their first summer signing in the shape of Besiktas midfielder Gary Medel, according to Turkish media outlet Super Haber, but the impending deal will surely only annoy the club’s fans.

The 31-year-old has just over 12 months remaining on his current contract with the Turkish outfit, so he should be available for a cut-price fee, but is he really of sufficient quality to help take the Hammers to the next level?

The simple answer to that question is no.

Medel, a 118-capped Chile international is a solid operator, but he doesn’t possess the kind of attributes that West Ham really need.

He is a tough, tenacious midfield player, but his passing skills are limited to say the least.

The Hammers already have Declan Rice, Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang vying for the deep-lying midfield positions, and it could be argued that all three of those are actually better players than Medel.

Gary Alexis Medel Soto of Besiktas JK during the Turkish Spor Toto Super Lig football match between Besiktas JK and Trabzonspor AS on December 16, 2018 at the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul,...

The Besiktas midfielder is extensively experienced, and he would bring more competition to Manuel Pellegrini’s midfield options, but signing him would signify a complete lack of ambition from the West Ham board.

The east London outfit could, and should, be aiming a lot higher than Medel, and in order to appease their fans, they really have to be targeting players of better quality than the Chilean midfielder.

Gary Medel of Besiktas gestures after his team concedes a goal during a Turkish Super Lig week 19 soccer match between Besiktas and Buyuksehir Belediye Erzurumspor at the Vodafone Park in...