Gianluca Scamacca ‘can’t wait’ for move, club chief set for new West Ham United visit amid ‘crazy’ Declan Rice transfer development
Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto could be set to make another trip to London “in the next few days” hoping to convince West Ham to let Gianluca Scamacca leave on loan, Corriere dello Sport reports.
Jose Mourinho wants the Hammers striker in the Italian capital for his upcoming preseason training camp, and the 24-year-old is apparently so eager to move to the club he supports an agreement would be possible in “the blink of an eye”.
Pinto was in London a fortnight ago but failed to get West Ham to agree to a loan deal with an option to buy the forward.
But thanks to “Arsenal’s crazy spending” the Hammers are set to collect £105million for captain Declan Rice, creating hope at the Stadio Olimpico that the stance may soften towards letting Scamacca go back to Serie A.
According to CdS a “draft contract” was discussed with his representatives on the previous visit both for potential loan wages and another salary if his move was made permanent, and after a difficult first season in England following his £35.5million move from Sassuolo last summer the Irons ace “can’t wait” to go.
No dice?
The hefty windfall for Rice is not confirmed quite yet as the clubs continue to haggle over the payment structure amid suggestions that the door is still ajar to the unlikely prospect of West Ham abandoning the move altogether.
And either way that cash is surely earmarked for important incoming business for David Moyes this summer so it likely wouldn’t move the goalposts particularly with regards to Scamacca’s possible exit.
The striker has been heavily tipped to leave for months now, but there appears to be little appetite around the London Stadium to allow for a loan departure.
Roma may have been able to buy him outright had Tammy Abraham not suffered a serious knee injury at the end of the season before the Giallorossi were able to sell him.
But as it is they can’t afford the kind of money that the Irons would want to make back on their significant outlay a year ago.
There have been some suggestion in England that an exit is off the table anyway and that Moyes expects Scamacca in his squad next season, which on current evidence looks to be the most likely outcome barring a change of heart in Stratford or a sudden influx of cash in Rome.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are in “advanced talks” to complete a high-profile attacking signing this summer.