West Ham United have lodged a first bid for CSKA Moscow playmaker Nikola Vlasic – but it’s short of the alleged asking price.
That’s according to Russian news outlet Eurostavka, who claim that West Ham have now offered around €23million for Vlasic.
That’s just shy of £20million, which is short of the £25million CSKA want according to a report from the Daily Mail earlier this week.
Vlasic is viewed as an alternative option to Jesse Lingard, with West Ham still unsure whether they will be able to bring him back to East London.
Vlasic may end up costing a similar price to Lingard, but the Croatian is only 23 – Lingard is 28 and has much less resale value.
Everton snapped up Vlasic from Hajduk Split in 2017, but he failed to make much of an impact and was sold in 2019 having enjoyed a successful loan spell with CSKA.
His record in Russia is impressive; 33 goals and 21 assists in 107 games, averaging a goal contribution every other game.
Vlasic’s first spell in the Premier League didn’t exactly go well, but West Ham may feel that he is now a better, more rounded player and can make more of an impact.
Capable of playing as a number 10 or out wide, Vlasic does fill a similar role to Lingard, and is a constant goal threat – just like Lingard was in his West Ham loan spell.
This isn’t an easy one for West Ham, and they may now need David Sullivan and David Gold to come up with a better offer having fallen around £5million short with the first bid.
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