Cagliari may have to accept that the £33 million release clause in Nahitan Nandez’s contract means very little these days, with Tuttomercatoweb handing West Ham United renewed hope of bringing the Uruguayan international to the London Stadium.
A 24-year-old central midfielder who caught the eye with his tireless displays at the 2018 World Cup, Nandez is perhaps the perfect embodiment of the old-school garra spirit which epitomises the Uruguayan people and the nation’s shift towards a more technical style of play.
The former Boca Juniors star not only loves a tackle, he is equally comfortable at the other end of the pitch. Three assists in his debut Serie A season is a decent return for a man perhaps more renowned for his defensive contributions.
Yet with the global health crisis causing financial problems for clubs all over the globe, Cagliari may be forced to reduce Nandez’s price-tag with the transfer market likely to suffer the effects of an unprecedented situation.
“Before the lockdown we reached an agreement with Cagliari, but the signature is still missing,” his agent said.
“The new deal will include a £33 million buy-out clause. But with the financial problems caused by COVID-19, the clauses aren’t reliable.”
Tuttomercatoweb reported not so long ago that West Ham had made a bid to bring Nandez to the Premier League. And, with David Moyes’s side still very much in the race for an all-action enforcer to ease the burden on the overworked Declan rice, Bentancur’s comments are unlikely to go unnoticed at the London Stadium.
There is a nagging feeling that Cagliari may be forced to sell a key player for far less than £33 million in this day and age.
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