There is late night shock for West Ham as a journalist lifts the lid on a major transfer development for Tim Steidten and Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham are in serious need of a big influx of signings this summer.
And Hammers fans have been very impressed by the speed and efficiency of the club’s transfer planning so far.
West Ham are rather refreshingly getting their transfer targets lined up very early.
It has been widely reported that Tim Steidten and new head coach Julen Lopetegui are expecting to have three new arrivals ready to be unveiled when the international window opens on July 1st.
ITK reporter Fabrizio Romano is famous for his ‘here we go’ catchphrase.
Late night shock twist
It seems Hammers fans will be hearing that a lot this summer with as many as eight signings being lined up.
Romano only drops his trademark line when a deal is set in stone.
But it seems the Italian may have gone too early.
Because there is late night shock as a journalist lifts the lid on a major West Ham transfer development.
Yesterday Romano gave West Ham’s move for Flamengo and Brazil centre-back Fabricio Bruno the ‘here we go’ seal.
The Hammers had agreed a £12.5m deal with the Brazilian club and it had previously been reported that personal terms were already agreed with the 28-year-old defender.
There’s been a big twist, though.
Journalist lifts lid on major Bruno transfer development
Top Brazilian journalist Vene Casagrande previously confirmed the West Ham signing of Bruno.
But he claimed the defender would have to play in Flamengo’s Copa do Brasil clash with Amazonas – which he duly did – and an important Copa Libertadores match against Millonarios today before signing a five-year deal with the Hammers.
Yesterday, though, we reported the Bruno deal was all but confirmed when it was claimed Flamengo were expected to pull him from that game.
The deal looks like it could now collapse, though, according to Casagrande.
The reporter has told his near 1 million followers that the move is now ‘not certain to come to fruition’.
Bruno has allegedly rejected the personal terms on offer and will ‘be available to play’ against Vasco da Gama this weekend.
Move on the brink or brinkmanship?
“Fabricio Bruno’s move to West Ham is not yet certain to come to fruition,” Casagrande said.
“Although Flamengo has an agreement with the English team for the sale, the player did not accept the salary offer and so the negotiation drags on.
“In other words, the operation has a chance of “failing”. Initially, Fabrício Bruno is available to catch Vasco on Sunday.”
Having said all that Bruno did not play in a 3-0 win over Millonarios today and was an unused sub.
So this could well be some brinkmanship from the player and Flamengo.
We’ll find out soon enough one would imagine.