'Not worried': President convinced West Ham and Newcastle will not sign his £17m star man
Yesterday at 11:45 AM
Premier League quartet West Ham United, Newcastle, Everton and Nottingham Forest are all sniffing around a £17 million centre-forward in the form of his life.
And, after he opened the door to a January departure this week, the confidence displayed by his club’s president may seem a little misplaced.
TBR understands that Yuri Alberto is back on the radar of West Ham United, just over a year after the Londoners saw a £14 million bid kicked back by Corinthians.
Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Brentford are keeping close tabs on the one-time Brazil international as well, while Everton’s struggles drag on with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto misfiring once again.
By scoring in each of the last five Brazilian Serie A games, meanwhile, Yuri Alberto has taken his tally to 26 for the 2024 season.
Only two Corinthians players have ever scored more in a calendar year, the most recent being a young whippersnapper by the name of Carlos Tevez 19 years ago.
But while interest is on the rise Corinthians president Augusto Melo is losing no sleep at this stage.He remains convinced that Alberto will stick around even despite the striker publicly casting doubt on his future only a few days earlier.
Corinthians expect Yuri Alberto to stay amid West Ham interest
“Something I’m very happy about is the condition he is in today,” Melo tells reporters, Alberto playing with confidence again after overcoming a strained relationship between himself and a disillusioned fanbase.
“Everyone had no doubts [about him]. We knew that his phase [where Alberto struggled] would be for a short time.
“I’m not worried [about his future]. He’s a very important player for Corinthians and we’ll definitely count on him in 2025."
Yuri Alberto has endured more disappointments than most in the transfer market.
After his proposed switch to long-time admirers West Ham failed to materialise back in 2023, Wolves and Southampton both came and went in 2024.
TBR understands that Southampton walked away from discussions with Corinthians due to concerns over the finances involved – Alberto is reportedly valued at £17 million – and the lack of space in Russell Martin’s squad at a time in which The Saints were looking to finalise deals for a number of other targets.
Yuri Alberto opens door to Newcastle United and Everton
The prospect of relegation for one of South America’s most historic clubs meant there was a sense of inevitability surrounding Yuri Alberto’s long-overdue departure heading into the New Year.
But, while Meu Timao are not yet out of the woods just five points above the drop zone in a tightly-packed table, Alberto has fired Corinthians up the league during a run of four successive wins.
"I've decided over the last few months that I'm going to take it one day at a time," Alberto said earlier this week.
"I'm very happy here but, if an offer comes along that's positive for me and Corinthians and we can reach an agreement for the sale to happen, great.
"If not, I'm happy too. I have a dream and I believe that the longer I stay here, the more mature I'll be to be able to live in the best way possible."
