Torino needs to review salary policy to sign West Ham United loanee Nikola Vlasic permanently
Torino fear that paying £13m will not be enough to sign Nikola Vlasic from West Ham permanently, according to a report from Torino Granata.
Vlasic joined Torino on loan for the Hammers in the summer, and the Italian club have the option to sign him permanently by paying £13m.
The Croatian midfielder has become “indispensable” for Torino coach Ivan Juric, but the club need to review their salary policy and make an “exception” for him if needed.
The report states that Vlasic earns around £2.15m per year at West Ham where he has a contract until 2026. But when he moved to Turin club, the wage fee agreed was £1.7m per year.
However, Vlasic may also refuse to agree to lower his wages, and Torino fear that other clubs could be interested to sign the player following his brilliant performance in the World Cup.
Key decision
Vlasic does not seem to appear in the first-team plans of David Moyes.
It is certainly one of the most bizarre transfers in the club’s history. He joined for a fee of £26.8m (plus £7.7m in bonuses) from CSKA Moscow in 2021, and the club are selling him at a loss after just one season.
West Ham need money to buy new players in January and they could offload Vlasic to Torino, but his form in the World Cup could prompt other clubs to make a move for him.
If Vlasic ends up winning the World Cup, his price will definitely go high. In that case, the Hammers must look to sell him to the highest bidder, but whether they will take the bait remains to be seen.
This is an interesting situation for Vlasic and Torino. The Hammers need to bolster their midfield either in January or next summer, and they should look to recoup the best deal out of Vlasic if he is not required.
Declan Rice is most likely to leave the club, while doubts remain about the future of Tomas Soucek as well. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Vlasic, especially if he ends up winning the World Cup medal.