Pellegrini set for transfer market adjustment
The manager is believed to have wanted to bring in two central defenders but the play maker’s injury means that some of the £75 million funds available will need to be diverted in that direction with Joao Mario becoming a serious option.
However, inflation in the transfer market means that the Portugal midfielder will cost in the region of £25m – three times the amount paid for Lanzini plus a bit, with wages of more than double the Argentinian.
Mario is available given Inter’s desire to move him on and his own comment that he has no wish to play at the club next season.
Pellegrini may now take the view that with Angelo Ogbonna, Winston Reid and Declan Rice available he will go for just the one central defender – with Swansea’s Alfie Mawson – who has already been the subject of one bid.
The Hammers are also likely to return with a bid for the relegated Welsh outfit’s goalkeeper Polish international Lukasz Fabianski (above right) who is in the last year of his contract and is keen to remain in the Premier League having told his club he wishes to move on.