West Ham join race for Serie A starlet Tiago Gabriel amid Juventus & Inter links

Tiago Gabriel’s rise at Lecce has not gone unnoticed. The Portuguese defender has been one of the surprises of the Serie A season, earning attention not only from Italy’s biggest clubs but now from the Premier League as well.

Lecce insist they would prefer to keep him, yet, much like the Dorgu situation last year, they are prepared to listen to proposals as early as January.

The Salento-based side sold Danish wing-back Dorgu to Manchester United last January and he has settled in well at the Premier League club.

Juventus, Milan and Inter have all been monitoring Tiago Gabriel’s progress, but the latest reports from FantaCalcio suggest the competition has expanded across the Channel.

West Ham are understood to be the most active Premier League contender so far, maintaining direct contact in recent weeks to assess the feasibility of a winter move.

Nuno Espirito Santo is pushing for a young defender with strong one-v-one qualities, and Tiago Gabriel has emerged as one of his priority profiles. Brentford have also registered interest.

Lecce, however, are expected to stand firm on their valuation. Early indications put the asking price at no less than €30 million, setting the stage for a potentially intense winter battle for one of Serie A’s standout breakout defenders.