Report: West Ham ready to pay £19.75m for midfielder, but club want £6m more

Thu 26 August 2021 12:15, UK

that West Ham are willing to pay £19.75million to sign Nikola Vlasic – but CSKA Moscow want £6million more.

Vlasic, 23, joined CSKA in the summer of 2018 on loan before a move was made permanent a year later. He had previously struggled at Everton.

But the Croatia international was hardly given the chance at Goodison Park, scoring only two goals in 19 games. Vlasic has since sparkled for CSKA.

In 104 appearances for CSKA in his first three seasons, Vlasic has had a hand in 53 goals. The Croat has netted 33 goals, creating 20 more.

Such form has caught the attention of West Ham. that West Ham could go after Vlasic as a replacement for Jesse Lingard.

that CSKA want as much as £25.75million for Vlasic – £6million more than West Ham want to pay.

What is a fair price for Vlasic, as West Ham go after midfielder?

West Ham have got a lot of work to do in the coming hours. The Hammers need a centre-back, and Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma looks more than likely.

But a centre-back is not the only part of the side that needs looking at. The Hammers lack depth in central midfield, and a Seb Haller replacement.

Haller left for Ajax in January and a back-up striker has still not been brought in. Andriy Yarmolenko and Jarrod Bowen can do a job.

Lingard could also do with replacing, despite a brilliant start to the season from both Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma this season.

Vlasic is an option. His form is excellent. But CSKA’s price tag is huge. If the two can find a compromise, around £21million, then a deal is fair.