Nikola Vlasic’s father admits the £25 million West Ham United midfielder wanted to join Serie A giants AC Milan instead during the summer transfer window, speaking to Vecernji List, via Milan News.
It is no secret that the former CSKA Moscow talisman was holding out for a move to Italy.
Vlasic’s agent admitted to Tuttomercatoweb a few weeks ago that he had offered the Croatia international to Serie A’s big-hitters.
AC Milan came closer than any of their fellow Scudetto chasers, entering talks with the dynamic number ten during the final stretches of a frantic window.
But, once it became clear that West Ham were going to spend £25 million on a man who struggled badly during a previous spell in England, the Rossoneri threw up their hands and backed out of the race, unable to compete with the pandemic-proof riches of the Premier League (Calciomercato).
“Nikola should have gone to Milan,” says Vlasic’s father, Josko. “We wanted (to join) the Rossoneri, but the two clubs could not find an economic agreement.”
Was West Ham a last-resort for Nikola Vlasic?
Fear not Hammers fans, Vlasic is a better, more mature player now than the one who was relegated to the fringes under Sam Allardyce at Everton.
He’s hit double figures in each of the last two seasons from his favoured attacking midfield role after all. Vlasic is a creator as well as a taker of chances, too, at his most effective when dashing forward on the counter-attack.
It is not hard to imagine a player of his considerable speed and technical ability thriving alongside Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen and the irrepressible Michail Antonio in a West Ham side who’ve scored the joint most number of goals so far in the Premier League this season (10, level with Manchester City).
The Londoners also completed the deadline-day signing of Alex Kral – much to the delight of one Spartak Moscow legend. ‘Good riddance’, and all that.
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