Who is West Ham target Leonardo Koutris? The right choice for the left-back role?
According to Greek outlet Sportdog, West Ham United’s director of football Mario Husillos is a fan of Olympiacos left-back Leonardo Koutris and could add him to the transfer shortlist for the upcoming transfer window.
The left-back at West Ham is a position which needs strengthening, as neither Arthur Masuaku nor Aaron Cresswell have stamped their authority to play that role under new manager Manuel Pellegrini. Hence, it would make sense to buy a new left-back sooner than later.
The former Manchester City manager is aided by the fact that the club’s director of football is a fan of the player who would enhance the quality of the team’s left-back position.
Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the player in detail:
Scout Report – Leonardo Koutris
Age – 23
Current club – Olympiacos
Main Position – Left-back
Born in Brazil, Koutris is a Greek professional footballer from his youth days. He started his career at a local amateur club from Rhodes, where he was spotted by the Ergotelis scouts in 2011. In January 2013, he signed his first professional contract with that club, and played 31 games for them.
The left-back then moved to PAS Giannina as a free agent and stayed there for a year, featuring 29 times. On 25th July 2017, the 23-year-old signed for Olympiacos, his current club. He made his debut for the club in a 3-1 away win at Partizan. He played all the European games and helped the team reach the group stage of the Champions League.
In September 2017, Koutris made his Super League debut in a 1-1 away draw against Xanthi. In November 2017, he scored his first goal for the Greek giants.
In terms of attributes, the now Greece international possesses the pace to make forward runs. He can dribble past defenders in tight spots, a vital aspect for a wide player in modern-day football. The 23-year-old isn’t a slouch when it comes to defending as well, especially in one vs one scenarios.
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All in all, he is an ideal left-back who can fit into the West Ham system if the Hammers bid for him in the winter window. Getting Premier League exposure would help the youngster enhance his game and show the world how good he is. Playing well for West Ham would mean a big move sooner or later.