West Ham have reportedly made an offer to bring Joao Mario back on loan
Sky Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio claim West Ham United and two other high-profile clubs have had loan bids for Inter Milan playmaker Joao Mario rejected, with the Italians holding out for a permanent sale.
Mario’s future at Inter Milan seems all but over, with the club willing to offload the Euro 2016 winner after he has failed to replicate his exploits with the national team in blue and black.
It saw the 25-year-old go on loan to West Ham during the second half of the 2017-18 campaign, where he got off to a slow start before regaining his form somewhat towards the end of the six-month loan.
However, West Ham did not exercise an option to buy the former Sporting Lisbon star, with Inter reportedly pricing the Hammers and Manuel Pellegrini out of a permanent move.
Now, West Ham have returned with a loan bid, as have Spanish outlet Real Betis and Mario’s former side Sporting, but all three temporary offers have been thrown off the table – with Inter looking to sell him permanently for £26.6million.
Mario has three years remaining on his contract at the San Siro, and unless Inter reduce their asking price, he is in danger of sitting on the sidelines at Inter, with the three interested sides unlikely to fork out his eight-figure asking price.
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