OPINION
West Ham’s chase for Olympiacos midfielder Kostas Fortounis is surely over after the latest report report about his future.
According to the Daily Star, the Hammers sent scouts out to watch the 26-year-old Greek international in his country’s 3-0 defeat to Italy on Saturday – where Fortounis played as a false nine – but that is said to have been unable to change the club’s mind over a potential approach.
The newspaper claims that Olympiacos rate their midfielder at £15million, but say that Manuel Pellegrini’s side are unwilling to pay that fee for a player whose contract is due to expire next summer.
What’s more, the Daily Star also says that negotiations between the two clubs over a move have come to a standstill.
These two developments surely mean that West Ham will pull out of a potential move for Fortounis, and that can only be bad news for Hammers fans.
Fortounis looks like he could be a great signing for the East London club, not least because he scored 17 goals and assisted 16 others in 43 appearances in all competitions last term.
Those are some fantastic statistics and show exactly why Pellegrini was interested in the player, as he can not only get forward and set up goals for his teammates, but also has quite an eye for goal himself.
Should West Ham indeed lose out on the signing of Fortounis, the Daily Star says that Celta Vigo’s Maxi Gomez is another target for the club.
But the newspaper says that the La Liga side want ‘significantly’ more than the £53.5million offered by the Hammers for the striker and teammate Stanislav Lobotka.
Plus, Gomez reportedly wants Champions League football next season, which will surely end any hopes that West Ham had of tempting him to East London.
Overall, it looks like Pellegrini’s side are set to miss out on Fortounis, and with their other targets proving difficult to negotiate with too, it could be difficult for the club to get another midfielder in this summer.