Right after all the mess that West Ham went through when trying to sign William Carvalho from Sporting, a few rumours came out here and there saying the Hammers hadn’t given up on the midfielder.
Carvalho’s situation hasn’t changed much since then. Although he’s said to be focused on his club, the dream to play in the Premeir League hasn’t gone away, so a move shouldn’t be ruled out.
But West Ham’s attempt came as a warning for Sporting. With the worry a club could now come close to Carvalho’s €45m release clause, the Lisbon side are hoping to see this figure rise.
That’s why A Bola’s claim a new contract with the player is being negotiated, and the first talks have already taken place.
Sporting’s idea is to give Carvalho a pay raise, adding one further year to his deal and also changing the release clause to €60m.
Although we find it unlikely that the Lisbon side would demand all that money for the midfielder next summer, that would depend a lot on how many clubs want him. And it seems that since West Ham’s attempt, the list of pretenders is still growing.
So the Hammers had a chance in the summer, and could still do something until a new contract signed. If Carvalho agrees to a new deal, and a higher clause, it’s goodbye to any West Ham chances.
