Trevor Sinclair has questioned West Ham United’s pursuit of former Everton man Nikola Vlasic while expressing his excitement about young Armstrong Oko-Flex, when speaking to talkSPORT (25 August, 12:00pm).
It is not just the present that looks brighter than a Gemma Collins tan at the London Stadium.
Dmitri Halajko’s U23s have started the season in free-flowing, free-scoring style, finding the net eight times in just two Premier League 2 fixtures thus far.
While the club’s much-maligned owners are once again bearing the front of fan frustration – West Ham have spent just £2 million this summer after all – the under-the-radar signing of former Celtic winger Oko-Flex is already starting to look like a masterstroke.
After a handful of exciting cameo displays in pre-season, the 19-year-old massacred Arsenal with a hat-trick during a 6-2 shellacking last week.
Okoflex’s impressive start to life in claret-and-blue won’t stop West Ham looking elsewhere for a new attacking midfielder, however, with The Mail claiming that the £25 million-rated Nikola Vlasic could be heading back to the Premier League.
Talks are allegedly underway with just six days left in the transfer window.
Can Nikola Vlasic prove Everton wrong at West Ham?
The Croatia international would certainly arrive with a point to prove, given that his forgettable spell at Goodison Park ended in disappointment after just seven league starts and a matter of months.
“You say he’s been playing well in the Russian league; will he be able to do the business in the Premier League?” asked Sinclair, the former Hammers hero.
“And is he a player you can dovetail between him and Michail Antonio? That is the question.”
“They’ve also got Armstrong Oko-flex who scored a hat-trick for the U23s. He looks, physically, like he’s a good specimen.”
Don’t let that short-lived spell on the Everton bench fool you. Since swapping Goodison Park for the Russian capital, Vlasic has blossomed into one of Europe’s best young creative talents, a rampaging, two-footed play-maker who has hit double figures in each of the last two seasons.
According to reports, West Ham have identified a Ligue 1 champion as another option, with a deal for top target Jesse Lingard looking fanciful at best.
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