West Ham United are one of several Premier League clubs with Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios in their sights.
The Hammers have long been keen to address their lack of balance in midfield having been lumbered by Tim Steidten’s questionable recruitment in the summer, and the Colombian could well fit the bill.
Rios has previously been linked with a move to the London Stadium as his stock continues to rise at Palmeiras, and with Graham Potter keen to overhaul his midfield, a summer move could be in the offing.
Potter has already recalled James Ward-Prowse from Nottingham Forest in a bid to rebalance his options in the engine room, and given Palmeiras’ stance on Rios, the Irons face a fight on their hands to sign him.
West Ham position clear on £83.3m Richard Rios transfer clause
Although the Hammers, as well as Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, are keen on signing the 24-year-old, CaughtOffside reports that Rios’ new contract with Palmeiras includes an £83.3million stumbling block.
The online outlet reported on 9 February that Rios’ new contract comes with that hefty release clause, and while all three Premier League clubs are fond of the midfielder, they’re not willing to pay such a price.
Possible swap deals in order to barter Palmeiras down could be on the cards if the Irons due pursue a summer transfer, but they have made clear to the Brazilian club that they won’t go near that figure.
Richard Rios transfer not worth the risk for West Ham
Although Rios is clearly a highly-rated midfielder who could be a solid addition as Potter reshapes his Hammers squad, shelling out a record transfer fee (by some distance) on him wouldn’t be a wise move.
Rios is 24 and is yet to play outside of the Americas in his career so far, with spells in Brazil’s Serie A, Serie B, and Liga MX under his belt – and if he justified such a price, he’d have already made the switch.
Having no previous experience playing in Europe hasn’t helped Luis Guilherme’s first-team chances, and Potter would likely proceed with caution before throwing Rios straight into a Premier League midfield.
Even if Rios had shown himself to be a player capable of taking Potter’s midfield up a level, it’s unlikely David Sullivan and the rest of the London Stadium board would be willing to trigger his release clause.
The £51.2m paid to Lyon for Lucas Paqueta – a player who has hardly justified that fee so far this season – remains the Irons’ record outlay in the transfer market, and a defensive midfielder in his mid-twenties looks unlikely to be the player who’ll break the bank next.
