West Ham are hopeful of completing the signing of Alaves defender Guillermo Maripan before the Copa America, report Marca.
The Chilean international impressed for the Basque side this season, making 26 La Liga appearances in one of the tightest defences in the Spanish top flight in 2018-19.
He formed a solid partnership with Victor Laguardia at the heart of Abelardo Fernandez's defence, although the Coach has subsequently departed the Estadio Mendizorroza.
Maripan is said to have a €25m release clause on a contract that has two more years to run, with Marca claiming the opening offer from the Hammers came in at €11.6m.
That offer has been rejected but it is likely that an overall fee for a transfer will come somewhere in between those two valuations.
“From childhood I have always liked the Premier League – I would go there, it's a great challenge on a personal level,” Maripan is cited as saying by the report.
“This is my second season in Europe, I feel very good in Spain, but I would like to go to the Premier League, what I will decide in the future after the Copa America.”
Maripan is a compatriot of Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini while Director of Football Mario Husillos is said to have been monitoring the Spain-based defender.
The 24-year-old joined the Basque club from Universidad Catolica in Chile in 2017 with transfermarkt reporting his value at €8m.
It has been reported that Alaves are lining up Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic as an affordable replacement.
