West Ham United need the holding midfielder and should go back with an improved offer if that is what it takes.
According to a report from the Daily Record, West Ham United have pulled out of a deal to sign William Carvalho after Sporting Lisbon raised their asking price. However the Hammers are in desperate need of a player of his quality in the centre of the park, and even for an alleged £38million he is a risk well worth taking.
In truth he is not that risky at all, with William possessing the innate talent to instantly protect West Ham’s fragile back line and ensure their terrible start to the new campaign is a blip rather than a sign of things to come.
Adding goals in the form of Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic is one thing, but that will be for nothing if West Ham continue to ship more at the back than the Mexican and the Austrian can manage at the opposite end.
There is no doubt Sporting are attempting to ring every last penny from West Ham, but with time running out they should pay what it takes to sign a player that could make all the difference this season.
The Hammers hierarchy have to accept that football is currently in a state of extreme craziness, with average players commanding questionable fees and club records being broken left, right and centre.
William is certainly not average, and if Nemanja Matic is worth £40million, a player who could one day replicate the Serbian international’s importance in English football is worth a few extra pounds.
No club wants to be held to ransom and West Ham will not spend for the sake of spending, but the 25-year-old is the real deal, and missing out on him could be far more damaging than saving a few million this summer.
The clock is ticking, but for now West Ham have time to put things right…
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