The future of West Ham United star Manuel Lanzini has been cast into doubt.
Lanzini is one of West Ham’s most gifted players.
The Agrentine missed most of last season after picking up a serious knee injury before the 2018 World Cup.
Reports make claim over Lanzini interest
Despite the serious nature of the injury and some up and down performances when he returned to the team, West Ham were reported to be ready to hand the playmaker a new five-year deal (The Mirror).
That was followed by two separate reports linking Lanzini with a move away.
First to Turkey with Fenerbache (The Mirror) and then a return to his first club River Plate (TYC Sports in Argentina).
There appears to have been a new and rather unsavoury twist, though, that doesn’t bode well.
Unsavoury twist and it’s all about the money
Speculation in West Ham circles was backed up by reliable insider ExWHUemployee that Lanzini is far from happy with the terms of the new deal.
The Twitter and radio personality says the renewal option in Lanzini’s contract has a set wage – believed to be £70,000 per week – and Lanzini is questioning that wage and taking steps to see if anything can be done to stop the automatic renewal.
If true the news will not go down well with West Ham fans.
The Arnautovic effect
Supporters are sick of seeing players, like Marko Arnautovic last season, manipulate situations to squeeze even more money out of the club.
It would be a blow to Manuel Pellegrini to have such an influential player wanting away.
On the flip side the 26-year-old is one of West Ham’s most valuable assets. As a result he could fetch a sizeable fee if he were to be sold.
That money would then go towards new signings to bolster Pellegrini’s initial £40million kitty as things stand.
Whatever happens this particular situation is already threatening to get ugly.
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