“West Ham’s Toughest Defender SHOCKED: £15M Striker Is an UNSTOPPABLE BEAST, His ‘Hardest’ Foe EVER!”

While the Profit and Sustainability regulations pushed clubs like Newcastle United, Everton, Aston Villa, and Chelsea into a frenzy of internal trading last summer—with players such as Elliott Anderson, Lewis Dobbin, and Omari Kellyman involved—genuine, old-fashioned swap deals remain a rarity in today’s transfer market.

One of the last notable examples of such a deal occurred back in 2018, when Manchester United and Arsenal completed a high-profile exchange.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan left Old Trafford for the Emirates, while Alexis Sanchez made the move in the opposite direction. These types of straightforward player-for-player trades have become increasingly uncommon in the modern game.

Chelsea, however, once known for pulling off savvy trades—like acquiring Ashley Cole in a deal that saw William Gallas go to Arsenal—did make efforts to revive that tradition recently.

Their pursuit of Ajax star Mohammed Kudus saw them propose several names in exchange, attempting to sweeten the deal with a swap-based approach.

Among the players reportedly offered were Jadon Sancho, Trevoh Chalobah, Axel Disasi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Robert Sanchez, and Tosin Adarabioyo. Despite the range of options presented, a deal never materialized.

On the other side of London, West Ham United were also linked with a potential swap deal involving young defender Luizao and Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto.

Reports suggested Luizao might return to Brazil as part of a deal to finally bring Alberto—long a target for the Hammers—to the Premier League.

Luizao, now back in the spotlight after a solid loan spell in Poland with Pogon Szczecin, previously went head-to-head with Yuri Alberto during a 1-1 draw between Sao Paulo and Corinthians in 2022.

It was a game that left a lasting impression on Luizao, especially since Alberto scored the opening goal—a stunning long-range strike that highlighted his attacking versatility.

In a recent interview, Luizao named Yuri Alberto as the toughest striker he has faced in his professional career.

“There was Victor Roque and also Yuri Alberto for Corinthians, and Gustavo Scarpa when he was at Palmeiras,” he recalled.

“But the hardest one was Alberto. He moves a lot, doesn’t stay in one place, and creates space. He can play both sides and is physically strong.”

Reflecting on that match at Morumbi, Luizao said, “We faced each other one-on-one, and he scored. He was the toughest because of his movement and strength.”

Yuri Alberto’s quality has never been in question. His brief stint with Zenit St Petersburg in 2022—a 15-game spell—remains his only experience in European football.

Since then, he’s become a standout player in Brazil, even claiming the 2025 Brazilian Serie A Golden Boot.

West Ham, along with Wolves and Spain’s Real Betis, reportedly submitted offers for the striker earlier in the year.

Corinthians even confirmed in 2023 that they had turned down a £15 million bid from the Hammers.

Despite renewed interest, a serious back injury could once again block his path to London.

Alberto recently suffered a fractured back, a setback expected to sideline him for a significant portion of the summer, effectively dashing West Ham’s hopes of securing his services—at least in the short term.

Fabinho Soldado, Corinthians’ chief executive, addressed the striker’s future, saying: “Yuri has a long contract with us until the end of 2027. He’s expressed his desire to remain here. He’s happy, and we are too.

Although there has been interest—based on his performances this year and last—there’s been nothing concrete. We don’t deal in speculation. We just hope he recovers quickly so he can return to helping the team.”

As for Luizao, the Brazilian defender may not need to wait on Alberto’s fate. Despite being under contract with West Ham, the young center-back is reportedly open to a return to his homeland after a successful spell in Poland.

Whether that potential move involves Corinthians, or if it’s entirely separate from any Alberto deal, remains to be seen.