A £13.5m summer transfer deal West Ham had lined up for Nikola Vlasic could be scrapped after a falling out between an owner and manager.
David Moyes shipped Vlasic out on a season-long loan to Italian side Torino in the summer having failed to establish himself at West Ham after signing for £26m the summer before.
Vlasic started the season on fire for Torino, raising question marks over the wisdom of Moyes’ decision to allow him to leave the Hammers.
Especially given West Ham’s Premier League struggles all season long.
But Vlasic has been sidelined by a medium-term injury which has halted his fantastic form.
Torino have an option to buy Vlasic for around £13.5m and reports have long suggested it is all but a done deal given how the Croatian midfielder has impressed.
But the £13.5m summer transfer deal West Ham had lined up for Vlasic could be scrapped after a falling out between an owner and manager.
Torino’s Croatian manager Ivan Juric was the man at the heart of the move for his compatriot Vlasic.
And he has confirmed there is growing tension between himself and club president Urbano Cairo which could affect his future at the club.
£13.5m summer transfer deal West Ham had lined up for Nikola Vlasic could be scrapped after falling out between owner and manager
With Torino in the running for a European spot, fans are standing behind Juric and tensions are simmering with the president publicly declaring he has ‘indulged’ his manager.
“This week, Cairo stated he “indulged” Juric in everything he wanted, from transfer strategy to improve training facilities, and that they have similar “ambitions,” but the message did not reassure the Croatian,” Football Italia reports in a story titled Juric hits out at Torino president Cairo.
“The idea I am ‘indulged’ makes it seem like I am asking for something mad and they put up with me,” Juric said this week.
“No, we want to share a vision, that is completely different. When I arrived a year and a half ago, he told me that we were struggling badly, but now we are able to breathe.”
Should Juric leave Torino, as is suggested in the reports, then it is highly unlikely Torino would take up their reported £13.5m Vlasic option with West Ham.
It could prove to be an expensive falling out for West Ham majority owner David Sullivan and co.
Indeed earlier this week Toro.it claimed the Italian side are struggling to afford the option to buy they have on the 25-year-old and have been asking for a discount.