Udinese owner Gino Pozzo has a ‘sort of pact’ with Gerard Deulofeu’s entourage to talk about a transfer in June amid interest from West Ham United.
That’s according to Messagero Veneto, who say the Italian side will be open to a deal should offers come in for the Spaniard.
Deulofeu is currently enjoying a strong campaign with the Serie A side this season, and that has reportedly ramped up interest in his signature.
West Ham have been named as one of his suitors over the last few weeks, with it explained they are conducting a ‘courtship’ and have even held first contacts over a possible move.
Messagero Veneto now pick up on that and say ‘it is clear’ that Deulofeu has ended up in the sights of teams around Europe thanks to his nine goals in 25 games.
He is ‘on the radar’ of several clubs, and alongside Marseille, Betis and Sevilla, there is West Ham showing an interest.
The last two are of particular interest as they could secure Champions League football for next season and thus be able to provide Deulofeu with the ‘heavy contract’ he wants to end his career.
First, he’d have to secure an exit from Udinese, where he currently earns €3.7m a year, less than he was on at former club Watford, but ends up at around €2m per year thanks to Italy’s Growth Decree.
He can get much better than that elsewhere and knows it, and so his entourage have ‘a sort of pact’ with owner Gino Pozzo; first, they focus on the league then the market. In other words, Pozzo has agreed to look at transfer offers once the season comes to an end, with it ‘postponed until June’.
There’s no mention of what fee he’d be looking at for his star man, although the newspaper does say that rumours have his value at €20m+. They do not corroborate that, though.
What they do say, however, is that there is a willingness to look at proposals, meaning West Ham may have been shown the open door they need to make their move.
