West Ham are getting closer to signing Nikola Vlasic from CSKA Moscow as an alternative to Jesse Lingard.
According to Sky Sports, West Ham United are close to signing Nikola Vlasic from CSKA Moscow before the transfer deadline. In this window, David Moyes had wanted an attacking midfielder, and now the Croatian international has become a viable option for the club.
West Ham have started their season well with two wins and one draw so far. David Moyes’ side has displayed fluidity in attacking football and scored plenty of goals. Despite their form, the manager still wants to sign an attacking midfielder before the transfer window ends.
Jesse Lingard still is Moyes’ primary target, and the Hammers maintain hope in signing the Manchester United star. Additionally, since the shock return of Cristiano Ronaldo, their chances of signing Lingard has increased massively. However, there are still doubts if the Old Trafford side will sanction a move, which has forced Moyes to keep an eye out for alternate targets.
Lille’s Jonathan Bamba was an option that Moyes considered. The French club valued their attacking midfielder at £25 million, similar to Manchester United’s valuation of Lingard. However, Bamba is also a difficult target to achieve so late in the window.
Nikola Vlasic, thus, has emerged as the latest option on the east London club’s radars and the Hammers are close to signing the CSKA Moscow star. A £25 million fee is mooted for the Croatian international, which the Premier League side are prepared to pay. If a move is to materialise, it will have to happen soon as there is little time left in the transfer window.
However, Moyes will still be hoping to make one final attempt to sign Lingard before deadline day. Latest reports suggest the Hammers will try to make a cut-price bid after understanding that Lingard has fallen further down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
Vlasic seems more of an easy transfer to pull off at the moment, and with West Ham ready to pay his asking price, a move could be made swiftly.
Vlasic has previous experience playing in the Premier League and will be eager to prove his worth in England again. He would certainly suit the playing style of the Hammers and could become a key player for their season domestically and in Europe.
