West Ham United were linked with Santiago Arias last summer.
According to a report by Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are set to meet with the representatives of PSV Eindhoven defender Santiago Arias in the coming days over a potential switch to Turin.
The reigning Serie A champions are on the lookout for a new top right-back this summer, and have seemingly identified the Colombia international as their main target following an impressive display in Holland.
Juve’s reported strong interest in the player is a clear sign of his ability, and should he subsequently move to Turin this summer, West Ham may have regret not signing him when the opportunity arose.
12 months ago, the Hammers were said to be interested in signing Arias (Voetbal Primeur), while a report in the Mirror also cited fellow Premier League sides Everton and Tottenham Hotspur as keen admirers of the player.
A figure in the region of £12 million was quoted at the time. West Ham instead opted to bring in former Manchester City right-back Pablo Zabaleta on a free transfer, paying the 33-year-old Argentine a rather hefty £75,000 week, according to Spotrac.
Zabaleta has gone on to make 36 Premier League starts for West Ham, but at 33 he isn’t getting any younger or any better, and he was only brought in as a rather costly short-term option.
In order to improve their chances of a regular top 10 Premier League finish, West Ham surely must invest in and develop younger players – a strategy that has enabled Tottenham to become a regular top four club.
Juventus’ interest in Arias highlights how highly-rated he is, and the former Sporting Lisbon man is exactly the sort of signing West Ham need to make to move forward as a club.
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