Report: West Ham joins Chelsea in the race to sign Brazilian attacker Felipe Anderson

Felipe Anderson of Lazio, Source- GettyImages

Last week, we reported that Lazio were set to meet with Felipe Anderson’s agent for ultimatum talks

The summer transfer window approaches and with Lazio narrowly missing out on the Champions League, Lalaziosiamonoi.it are reporting that Igli Tare and Claudio Lotito are set for ultimatum talks with Kia Joorabchian and Giuliano Bertolucci, Felipe Anderson’s agents.

Up until this point, it was largely thought that Felipe Anderson would be departing in the summer, for a fee no less than €40 million. However, with talks set to take place and Anderson’s current contract set to expire in 2020, there is now thought and belief that he could remain a Laziale.

Felipe Anderson signed for Lazio for a fee of around €8 million back in 2013 from Brazilian team Santos, and since then, he has been a vital part of the Biancoceleste side. This season, he has featured 32 times in all competitions, despite struggling with an injury that made him miss the start of the season. In those 32 games, he has scored eight times, assisted ten and has achieved an average match rating of 7.51 (according to WhoScored).

A few days ago, we reported that Chelsea were set to make a €40 million offer for the 25-year-old 

Felipe Anderson has arrived at a crossroad: either sign a renewal at Lazio and face possibly being an alternative option to break-out Spaniard Luis Alberto, or request to leave the club.

Claudio Lotito expressed that he would not be accepting any bids less than €40 million but RadioSei have today reported that Chelsea are willing to meet that valuation.

Felipe Anderson’s agents, Kia Joorabchian and Giuliano Bertolucci, are reportedly prepared to come to the meeting with Lazio management with an offer from Chelsea, in an attempt to try to achieve more playing time and a higher wage for Felipe Anderson. This move could truly cause the player to leave, as Lotito has hardly proved he is the biggest fan of spending over the odds; especially when it comes to keeping one of Lazio’s stars.

 

Today, rumours have been released that West Ham have now entered the race with a similar €40 million offer for the player

Purchases and sales, the market is reaching its initiation. Lazio continues to look around to find players able to increase the rate of quality of the side, and extend a bench that for years has always been too short to be able to achieve certain goals.

One must proceed with caution, because there are also players who could leave the Capital to settle in other shores and, at the moment, the player who seems closer to a sale, is Felipe Anderson.

The future of the number 10 is nebulous and yet to be written: the club is not interested in selling him for less than 40 million euros, because it does not have an urgent need to make money.

However, after a rumour from England first appeared from Chelsea, according to the Daily Mail it would be West Ham  who are serious about bringing the former Santos player to the Premier League, to the point that the Hammers would be delivering £35 million to the biancoceleste club, thus satisfying Lotito’s demands.

We will see in the end if it will suffice or not to convince the President to deprive himself of a talented player.

 

Who would you like to see Felipe Anderson with next season? Is Chelsea or West Ham a better fit?

 

Tags Biancoceleste Biancocelesti Brazil Brazilian Champions Champions League Chelsea Claudio Lotito Felipe Felipe Anderson Hammers Igli Tare Laziale Laziali Lazio west ham