West Ham are reportedly interested in Simone Verdi.
Bologna’s Simone Verdi
West Ham’s search for a successor to Dimitri Payet has led them to Bologna attacker Simone Verdi, according to a report.
Italian website Tuttomercatoweb claim West Ham scouted Verdi in Bologna’s weekend win over Chievo, in which he scored one and bagged an assist.
Verdi is an attacking midfielder who prefers to play centrally, even behind the striker, but can also line up on either wing.
He has scored five Serie A goals this season and provided three assists, and is currently under contract until 2020.
Verdi is 24-years-old, and has relaunched his career at Bologna after struggling to hit early heights once expected of him at AC Milan.
Verdi made his debut for Milan at just 17-years-old, but he could not make the breakthrough to star on a regular basis after that.
The Guardian reported that his diminutive frame and silky skills saw him dubbed the next Gianfranco Zola, who incidentally used to manage West Ham.
For a look at what Verdi is capable of when he gets it right, this stunning volley should cover it…
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
