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Manuel Lanzini is expected to sign a new five-year contract with West Ham, who is trying to defend against Fenerbahce.
The Argentine international playmaker missed most of last season because of a knee injury suffered before the World Cup last summer. Lanzini played only 10 Premier League matches with the Hammers, including eight starts, and scored a goal after returning in February.
The current agreement, concluded at the age of 26, is valid until June 2020. The East London club also has a two-year option. But boss Manuel Pellegrini is a big fan of Lanzini, who is one of the key players in his future projects as he hopes to take advantage of his 10th place since his first season as manager.
(Image: Reuters)
Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahce want Lanzini after losing the French international Mathieu Valbuena in favor of the Olympiacos of Greece on a free transfer.
Fenerbahce's sports director Damien Comolli, formerly of Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool, is considered an admirer of Lanzini's creative talents. But the Istanbul club, who finished sixth of the season, would fight a losing battle to reach it.
West Ham had originally signed a one-year loan with Al-Jazeera, an emirate of the United Arab Emirates, in August 2015, while Slaven Bilic was director. Lanzini finally joined the following summer for 9.4 million pounds sterling. In total, he played 78 times for them in all competitions, scoring 14 goals.
(Image: Getty)
He also played for River Plate in his homeland and the Brazilian Fluminense.
In addition, West Ham hired Millwall goaltender David Martin – the son of Hammers legend Alvin – in a two-year contract with first-choice Lukasz Fabianski. Adrian will leave the contract expire this summer.
"Signing for West Ham United is a dream for both me and my family," Martin told whufc.com. "I grew up around West Ham and coming to my childhood club is a dream. I loved watching my dad play and I stayed in games throughout my career. "
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