Italian Reports Suggest West Ham Have Opened Talks to Sign Shakhtar Donetsk Playmaker

According to reports emanating from Italy, West Ham have entered into negotiations to sign Shakhtar Donetsk's Brazilian playmaker Bernard as Manuel Pellegrini looks to strengthen the Hammers squad ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

Writing on his website, Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla suggested that the east London club are continuing in their pursuit of Lazio's Felipe Anderson, with the two clubs haggling over 25-year-old's transfer fee, which has been set at £40m by the Roman club.

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And while West Ham are nearing Lazio's valuation for Anderson, it could be that the midfielder may be joined by one of his fellow countrymen at the London Stadium this summer, with the Hammers also pursuing Shakhtar's Bernard.

Following the expiry of his contract with the Ukrainian club, the Brazilian playmaker has been left looking for a new club, and West Ham could pull off a major coup, should they secure a deal for the fleet-footed midfielder.

With a stellar reputation as one of the best players outside of Europe's top five leagues, Bernard would be an amazing addition to West Ham's squad, with his acquisition potentially seeing Manuel Pellegrini's revamp of the Hammers squad truly take shape.

Throughout the 2017/18 season, Barnard made a total of 29 appearances across all competitions for Shakhtar, notching 10 goals and assisting a further four as the Miners beat Dynamo Kyiv to the Ukrainian Premier League title.