Serie A champions AC Milan wanted to sign West Ham United’s Torino loanee Nikola Vlasic during the summer transfer window but felt the Premier League side’s £12 million asking price was too high, according to Calciomercato.
It’s probably a bit too simplistic to suggest that West Ham would have had a point to show for their efforts at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon had Vlasic still been available to David Moyes.
The Croatia international, after all, never looked likely to settle on English soil; the one-time Everton youngster again struggling with the intensity and the power of the British game. Vlasic’s exceptional performances since moving to Italy on loan, however, offer a timely reminder about the creative, potentially match-changing talents of a footballer who joined West Ham for £25 million after a highly-impressive spell at Russian giants CSKA Moscow.
‘Spectacular’ West Ham loanee Nikola Vlasic thriving in Serie A
“Vlasic is a very strong player,” beams Torino president Urbano Cairo. “He has great quality and intelligence. Spectacular.”
“He is one of those players who combines technical and physical qualities,” adds director Davide Vagnati. “West Ham had paid him a lot of money for him. But, in England, it didn’t go as they expected. We did well to sign him, but the championship is still long.”
Vlasic is on loan at Torino until next summer, with a £12 million option-to-buy clause in his contract. A clause that is almost certain to be triggered; especially after Vlasic showed reigning Scudetto holders AC Milan what they are missing with a clever assist to set up Aleksei Miranchuk’s winner during Sunday’s 2-1 victory over the Rossoneri.
Milan, Calciomercato say, held talks with Vlasic’s agents over the summer. They walked away from negotiations, however, after being put off by West Ham’s £12 million asking price. A decision that, with Vlasic helping to end Milan’s 17-game unbeaten run, has aged like spilled milk.
West Ham, meanwhile, slipped to 13th in the Premier League table; failing to turn their chances into goals during the 1-0 defeat to a resilient Manchester United. Moyes’ side lacked incision and end-product in the absence of the injured Lucas Paqueta.
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