There are similarities to be drawn between Crysencio Summerville and Nikola Vlasic; as the West Ham United winger keeps his team’s survival hopes alive, a former Hammer is doing the same in Italy with Torino.
In fact, the Croatia international has been so impressive, in such difficult circumstances, that his agent is being bombarded with questions about a potential move to Serie A giants AS Roma.
As West Ham United prepare to travel to Fulham in another must-win match – former boss Alan Pardew is backing Summerville to emulate Carlos Tevez and spark another ‘Great Escape’ – Nikola Vlasic helped put a six-point gap between Torino and the relegation zone with Sunday’s 2-0 victory over troubled Lazio.
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A £25 million signing from CSKA Moscow in 2021, Vlasic is undoubtedly one of West Ham’s worst signings in recent times. The opposite is true for La Granata.
According to reports, Roma and Eintracht Frankfurt are looking to offer Vlasic the chance to play European football in 2025/26.
Roma eye Nikola Vlasic as West Ham flop shines at Torino
Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, agent Tonci Martic did not give too much away. But he is hardly surprised to see interest from big European clubs appear on the back of a season in which Vlasic has provided seven goals and five assists for a struggling side.
“His excellent season certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed,” Martic says of the Torino talisman. “He plays as a well-rounded midfielder, excelling in both attacking and defensive positions.
“But Nikola is primarily focused on the second half of the season, where he must continue to play like this to gain space and help Torino move closer to the right side of the table.”
Torino certainly benefited from that so-called ‘new manager bounce’ last time out. While West Ham took a while to get going under Nuno Espirito Santo – it is only now that they are performing with something approaching consistency – Roberto D’Aversa masterminded a victory over Maurizio Sarri just days into the job.
Vlasic said Torino were in a ‘dire’ situation late last month. Now, beating Lazio comfortably, the sky looks that little bit sunnier in Turin.
“When a new coach arrives, there’s a different energy because every player wants to demonstrate their qualities,” said Vlasic. “We defended intelligently and attacked a strong team like Lazio. This isn’t a good situation; we need to win to bring the fans back to the stands.
“Now, we have to keep getting results.”
Vlasic felt he lacked ‘freedom’ during his London Stadium spell
West Ham sold Vlasic for a cut-price £10 million back in 2023. He started only six Premier League matches for the Hammers, his time at the London Stadium going about as well as his very forgettable stint at Everton a few years prior.
The Croatia international was often fielded out wide, where he maybe lacked the speed and physicality to really impact games in the way manager David Moyes wanted. He would find game time even harder to come by when Jesse Lingard, one of the most impactful loan signings in Premier League history, arrived midway through that campaign.
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Now, in Italy, Vlasic is relishing being the leading man – and the central playmaker – in a team heavily reliant upon his fierce ball-striking and various other attributes.
“At Torino I have found my freedom again. I have been reborn,” Vlasic told La Stampa shortly after he arrived in Italy.
“Compared to England, there is a big difference on a mental level. In Italy, I feel like someone else, much better with my head. I am a free man again.”
Should Roma make their move – there may be a Paolo Dybala-shaped hole in Gian Piero Gasperini’s attack next season – a 28-year-old Vlasic will be given the opportunity to spend his peak years near the top of the European game.
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