West Ham United are close to agreeing a fee with Fiorentina for the transfer for Nikola Milenkovic, according to TuttoMercatoWEB, after David Moyes failed to land Kurt Zouma.
The Hammers have increased their pressure on La Viola to sell the Serbian after offering €20m (£17m) for the defender. Fiorentina are prepared to accept West Ham’s approach as Milenkovic is in the last year of his contract.
Milenkovic’s representatives are now pushing ahead in talks with West Ham to agree on personal terms. Fiorentina also already have their replacement for the 23-year-old, with TuttoMercatoWEB adding Matija Nastasic is ready to return to Tuscany.
Nastasic left Fiorentina for Manchester City for £12m in 2012 but spent three years at the Etihad before joining Schalke. He now longs for the Viola jersey again after his German side fell out of the Bundesliga last season, heightening the 28-year-old’s chances of leaving.
West Ham turned their attention to signing Milenkovic from Fiorentina after failing to land Zouma from Chelsea, per The Sun. The Frenchman wants to stay in England if he leaves Stamford Bridge, but his wage and the Blues’ £30m valuation priced the Hammers out.
Moyes backed Milenkovic as his alterative to Zouma, who the Irons were prepared to pay £20m for. West Ham have now made strong progress in negotiations with his Artemio Franchi Stadium side over what would be their sixth senior signing this summer.
Milenkovic, who earns £25,000-per-week at Fiorentina, helped to keep eight clean sheets over 34 Serie A appearances last season. He could now challenge Angelo Ogbonna, Craig Dawson and Issa Diop for minutes, alongside Winston Reid and youngster Frederik Alves.
West Ham to sign an ‘extraordinary’ defender in Fiorentina ace Milenkovic
Moyes is unlikely to be dissatisfied with West Ham signing Milenkovic from Fiorentina after ruling out a deal for Zouma. The 23-year-old has built a strong reputation in Italy over his four years in Tuscany, and is a 28-cap international.
La Viola defensive partner Pol Lirola also spoke very highly of the Serbian last year, and did not expect it to be long before he joins a top side. “Milenkovic is already ready for a great team and has an extraordinary quality,” Lirola said, via X-Sport.
Milenkovic will also offer Moyes versatility in the West Ham defence as he previously played at right-back for Fiorentina. It is in central-defence, however, where the Partizan Belgrade product thrives most, and where he should feature in east London.
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