West Ham United demand £30million from Roma chief for Gianluca Scamacca transfer, stay may now be on the cards
West Ham have demanded €35million [£30million] to sell Gianluca Scamacca outright in the face of attempts from Roma to secure a loan move, Corriere dello Sport reports.
The Italian struggled in England after his £35.5million move from Sassuolo last season, and has been heavily linked to a return to Serie A as a result.
Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto was reported by Fabrizio Romano (14 June) to be in England in the past fortnight for talks with various clubs over potential transfers, with a push to replace injured striker Tammy Abraham with the Hammers ace central on the agenda.
Sky Italia then reported in their 8.10am update on 19 June that the Hammers weren’t interested in the loan but Scamacca’s agents were working on the club to try to change the stance.
However, amid one suggestion that an exit is off limits altogether, it looks like it is going to take a major offer to turn that around, and one that Corriere dello Sport reports is beyond Roma who are forced to now consider an alternative target in ex-Chelsea man Alvaro Morata.
Firm
It remains to be seen whether Scamacca gets through the entire transfer window as a West Ham player but this stance makes it sound like a distinct possibility.
On the face of it that could be a positive development, as letting him leave on a loan deal with a cut-price exit at the end of the season would be a disappointment so soon after his much-heralded arrival.
But it very much hinges on the 24-year-old’s form improving next term for it to come good, although David Moyes’ own decisions during the season will play a big part in that.
If the club and the manager are not ready to give up on their big-money striker, absent an offer that will get them their money back, then it is an admirable statement of intent.
But whether Scamacca’s own view of things helps push a deal through is another matter, as the feeling appears to be that he would prefer a quick return to Italy, and particularly to Roma.
It is unlikely that any Italian club is going to offer £30million unless they are absolutely certain that he is the missing piece to their puzzle, so unless the West Ham position changes, possibly in the wake of banking a huge fee for Declan Rice, Scamacca might be set for a second chance to be the leading man at the London Stadium.
In other West Ham news, a winner has been named in the headline transfer saga of the Premier League as Manchester City put pressure on Arsenal.