£17m star’s teammate is begging him to reject West Ham as Hammers jet out for talks

Kevin Lomonaco might have been taken aback somewhat by reports this week linking him with a move to Premier League outfit West Ham United, but those rumours certainly haven’t gone unnoticed back home at Independiente.

New claims coming out of Argentina say that, not only are West Ham willing to trigger the £17 million release clause in the 6ft 4in defender’s contract, but representatives of the London Stadium outfit have also made the near-7,000 mile trip to Buenos Aires in order to hold face-to-face discussions.

Now, it was the man himself who got the ball rolling in the spring.

Ever since Kevin Lomonaco admitted he was interested in a move to West Ham United – singling out the Hammers when discussing his ideal destinations – the former Red Bull Bragantino giant has barely been out of the gossip columns.

And whether or not there is truth to claims suggesting West Ham have dispatched representatives to Estadio Libertadores de America, via Muy Independiente, the prospect of a summer departure has at least one River Plate teammate on the charm offensive.

Independiente teammate begs Kevin Lomonaco to reject West Ham United

Sebastian Valdez, the man who often starts alongside Lomonaco in one of the meanest backlines in Argentinian football, labels his West Ham-linked teammate the standout centre-back in the country next to River Plate colossus Paulo Diaz.

By Valdez’s own admission, Lomonaco possesses the sort of effortless ability most players in his position can only dream of.

No wonder the former is praying that his right-footed partner rebuffs any offers from England and further afar.

“I was surprised [when I first saw Lomonaco in action]. I see him do things that seem easy but, for the rest of the defenders, they aren’t,” Valdez tells DSports Radio.