Alaves are very reluctant to let West Ham target Maripan leave this summer

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Alaves will fight tooth and nail to keep defender Guillermo Maripan away from the clutches of West Ham United, according to AS, via Inside Futbol.

They report that the central defender has two years left on his contract with the Spanish club and they are very keen to ensure he remains beyond the forthcoming transfer window.

But West Ham apparently want the man who has 13 caps for Chile to bolster their backline, which would be another left-field pick in the same mould of Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena’s successful moves last summer.

They apparently have a real fight on their hands to get the defender to east London.

West Ham will hope that their spending power and the opportunity for the 24-year-old to test himself in English football can tempt him to come in over the course of a long transfer window.

But if Manuel Pellegrini doesn’t manage to get him through the door, it could provide a reprieve for Winston Reid, who has been a stalwart for the Hammers down the years but has not played at all throughout the season.

But given his contract situation and injury record, Pellegrini would surely rather not rely on Reid and that explains the interest in Maripan – but will he get his man with Alaves digging in?