Serie A star striker Dusan Vlahovic has been linked with West Ham following the arrival of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.
And now Italian transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio has delivered his verdict on the possibility of the reported West Ham target moving to the Premier League.
Calcio Mercato recently claimed that the towering 21-year-old Fiorentina striker could be an option for the Hammers.
The Serbian international struck 21 goals in 37 Serie A outings last season to announce himself as one of the most exciting young centre-forwards in European football.
And he is currently the standout star striker in Serie A as he leads the way in the Italian top flight’s scoring charts with 12 goals from 15 games.
Calcio Mercato claimed West Ham have an interest in Vlahovic and transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano recently stated that the striker’s contract talks with Fiorentina have collapsed.
Given the contract situation, Fiorentina are said to be demanding £35 million for his services according to Tuttomercatoweb.
When you consider West Ham paid a record £45m for Sebastien Haller and the fact Nikola Vlasic’s fee could rise as high as £33m, it is not a huge amount of money.
With Czech billionaire Kretinsky on board and Moyes in desperate need of another striker, it has been speculated that Vlahovic could be a statement signing for West Ham even with the likes of Man City also reportedly interested.
But self-styled Italian transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio has poured cold water on those hopes.
In an update on Vlahovic’s future, Di Marzio says a move to the Prem is unlikely and insists Arsenal, not West Ham, were the only English side interested in the striker while the likes of Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are also keen.
Serie A star striker Dusan Vlahovic to West Ham? Transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio delivers his verdict
“I think it’s very difficult (for Vlahovic to come to the Premier League),” Di Marzio said.
“The only Premier League club that wanted Vlahovic was Arsenal. But the agents of Vlahovic didn’t want to speak, didn’t want to listen to the project, to find a deal… other clubs to make an offer to Fiorentina at the moment didn’t arrive.
“I don’t think it’s easy for Vlahovic to go in January to the Premier League.
“It’s difficult to say (where he will go next summer). Juventus would like to have him. Tottenham I think likes to have him, Borussia Dortmund if (Erling) Haaland goes somewhere.
“I think he will be one of the most important players (on the transfer market) in the summer. Probably he can go to Juventus but it’s really difficult to say now.”
Vlahovic coming to West Ham was always a stretch.
But this seems to put paid to any remote hope he could end up at the London Stadium.
Moyes has also been linked with strikers Arthur Cabral and Jonas Wind.