A reported early January transfer deal has been flat out denied by a reporter close to the West Ham United hierarchy.
The winter window is almost upon us.
And judging by the team’s performances so far this season and the club’s precarious position in the table, West Ham need to be active when it opens.
Reports abound that the Hammer have already got a deal lined up for Brazilian defender Luizao.
Rumour has it there could be some permanent departures too.
Arthur Masuaku is out on loan at Besiktas and there is talk West Ham are keen to get a permanent deal signed and sealed to send him on his way in January.
West Ham may not be treating him as such but Nikola Vlasic is still very much on the club’s books.
The Hammers have been criticised for failing to acknowledge Vlasic in their regular World Cup well wishing to Hammers players involved in Qatar.
Vlasic, a £26m signing from CSKA Moscow in the summer of 2021, has been loaned out to Torino where he has been shining bright in Serie A.
So much so a report this week from La Stampa claims Torino – who have an option to buy Vlasic at the end of his season-long loan spell – want to complete a permanent as soon as next month.
In fact the report states getting the West Ham-owned midfielder signed on permanently is one of the club’s “main targets” for next month.
But an early January transfer deal has been flat out denied by a reporter close to the West Ham hierarchy.
Hugh Southton claims a ‘key source’ inside West Ham has told him that is “nonsense”.
“Torino have an option on him for the end of the season,” Southon has been told by a key Claret and Hugh source.
“We have heard zero from them, the story is made up. It’s fiction… nonsense!”
Torino are taking a risk either way regarding the Vlasic deal.
They may have first option on the Croatian international but if a bigger better club came in for him, the player could refuse to sign on at Torino. And the likes of AC Milan have been linked which suggests that could be a very real risk.
On the other hand if they sign him permanently in January and he was to suffer a serious injury or loss of form then questions would be asked.
At West Ham’s end, the decision to agree a permanent fee of around £13.5m looks questionable for a 25-year-old who is on fire in Serie A and has just helped his country to the semi-finals of a World Cup.
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