West Ham United are yet to match Eintracht Frankfurt’s demands for Filip Kostic, which are between €18-20m.
That’s according to Frankfurter Rundschau, who cover the Hammers’ efforts to sign the defender today.
They report that the alarm bells at the German club are ringing ‘louder and louder’ after West Ham made an offer to sign Kostic.
They are currently offering just under €15m for the Serbian, a figure that’s ‘not enough’ for Eintracht Frankfurt to accept.
However, it is considered a ‘good, promising basis’ for the negotiations, which the German side want to take as high as €20m.
They would also accept an offer of €18m plus bonuses, say for certain performances if that’s something West Ham want to offer.
Negotiations are underway but reports that Kostic already has an agreement with West Ham have been ‘met with some surprise’ by Frankfurt’s management. Their information is different and the player is yet to make a decision on his future.
Frankfurt would not put any obstacles in the way of a move if he pushed and West Ham, or any other club, offered an ‘appropriate transfer fee’.
The potential transfer is very much in his hands. West Ham have offered him a ‘princely salary’, which will be more than twice what he currently earns in Germany.
However, a move to the London Stadium would be a step backwards in sporting terms as Kostic would be giving up Champions League football.
There is also the issue of the strained relationship between the two clubs after Eintracht felt ‘extremely badly treated’ when they met in the Europa League last season.
Thus, West Ham will need to tread carefully, with their current offer below what Eintracht would consider acceptable.
