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West Ham United open negotiations with Brighton over defender Igor Julio ahead of transfer deadline, reports claim.
The 27-year-old defender joined Brighton & Hove Albion from Fiorentina a couple of years ago, but his time at the Amex has been disrupted by inconsistency and fitness struggles, which have prevented him from becoming a regular in the starting XI.
In his first season, the Brazilian managed 17 Premier League starts, yet that figure dropped to just 10 last year.
This campaign has been even more difficult, as he has yet to feature in any of Brighton’s opening three league fixtures.
His only recent appearance came in the EFL Cup, where he started against Oxford United and contributed to a clean sheet in a dominant 6-0 victory.
According to the Independent, Igor was close to sealing a switch to Crystal Palace, where he was lined up as a replacement for Marc Guehi amid strong interest from Liverpool.
However, that deal broke down, leaving Guehi’s potential move to Anfield in serious doubt.
Since then, Igor has been in discussions with West Ham over a possible season-long loan. Manager Graham Potter is eager to reinforce his defence after Nayef Aguerd’s departure, and Igor is now among the leading candidates.
West Ham may not stop at one signing, with Chelsea’s Axel Disasi and Toulouse’s Charlie Cresswell also under consideration.
Igor, who has a Transfermarkt valuation of around £17 million, is regarded as a composed, technically sound centre-back.
He could prove a smart acquisition for the Hammers if he can stay fit, though his history of injury issues remains a concern.
The club’s most recent outing provided a much-needed boost, as they secured a convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. That result came after disappointing defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea.
Potter initially experimented with a back three in those early matches but reverted to a back four against Forest, a system he is now expected to persist with.
With the international break approaching, West Ham will have time to finalise their defensive plans before resuming Premier League action.
Their next fixture comes on 13th September, when they face Tottenham Hotspur in what could be a crucial test of their new-look back line.
