West Ham were hoping that Croatian wide player Nikola Vlasic could deliver on his potential on his return to the Premier League last season, sanctioning a £27m outlay. Yet just a year after arriving from CSKA Moscow, Vlasic is apparently desperate to leave the club.
According to Tuttosport, as per Sport Witness, Vlasic is desperate to leave London following a poor season in which he only earned 552 minutes. Their report says that Vlasic has even screamed at manager David Moyes, demanding he be allowed to leave.
The matter is not quite as simple as just finding an exit for Vlasic though. Italian side Torino are interested in Vlasic but are not willing to pay anywhere near West Ham’s initial demands. Their offer is thought to be a loan to buy option, with the fee reportedly at €15m (£12.7m). However they are managed by Vlasic’s compatriot Ivan Juric and the player has told West Ham that Turin is the only destination he will consider.
Torino are closing on Nikola Vlasi? deal with West Ham. Loan with buy option around €15m, final details are being discussed between all parties then it will be completed. ??? #WHUFC
Torino will cover main part of the salary, per @DiMarzio.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 9, 2022
In a summer where there have been stories about disagreements between Moyes and the club about signings, it is worth wondering whether Vlasic fits into those clashes. Given how much money was spent on Vlasic and how little he played, it seems strange that Moyes would sign off on a player he had so little belief in.
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