West Ham United have completed the signing of Nikola Vlasic from CSKA Moscow.
The attacking midfielder joins for a reported fee of around €30 million, with a potential further €8 million in add-ons.
West Ham United Submit Official Bid for Nikola Vlasic
Welcome to West Ham United, Nikola Vlasic! ✍️
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 31, 2021
A Head Over Heart Decision
When at Everton earlier in his career, Vlasic disappointed, but that was in 2019. We’re now in 2021, Vlasic is no longer a fresh-faced 21-year-old. Instead, he is a confident 23-year-old, who impressed many in Russia last season, scoring 12 goals and assisting a further six in just 34 appearances.
He will be coming back to the Premier League with a point to prove.
Ask David Moyes who he’d like to sign in the remaining days of the transfer window, and his heart will likely say Jesse Lingard. The Manchester United man quickly became a fan favourite at the London club, where he scored nine goals and assisted a further five in just 16 appearances whilst on loan last season.
Ask David Moyes on another occasion, however, and his head will say the younger, potentially cheaper, Nikola Vlasic. Sure, signing Lingard on a permanent deal brings with it nice sentiment after last season, but a 28, soon to be 29-year-old over a 23-year-old? West Ham are smarter than that.
Vlasic may need more time to settle, perhaps in similar fashion to the now-flying Said Benrahma, but, when he does, he’ll prove to be a top signing, maybe even coming back to bite former club Everton.
A week ago, many West Ham fans were dissatisfied with the club’s summer business, but what a difference a few days can make. Now, they have added Vlasic to the earlier signed Kurt Zouma and there could be further deals to come.
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