West Ham are set to miss out on summer target Aleksandar Mitrovic, according to the Daily Star.
The national newspaper claim that the Serbian international is set to move to Real Betis, with representatives in London to start talks with Fulham.
The Daily Star report that Mitrovic appeared high on Manuel Pellegrini’s wish list should the Hammers miss out on a potential deal for Celta Vigo forward Maxi Gomez.
Mitrovic was one of the standout performers in a poor return to the Premier League for Fulham, who were relegated in their first year back among the top flight.
The 24-year-old scored 11 and assisted a further three goals in his 39 appearances and the Craven Cottage club would reportedly demand £30million for any sale.
OPINION
Although missing out on any potential new signing could be deemed as disappointing, this isn’t as bad as one might seem for the Hammers. Despite Mitrovic proving he can deliver consistently in the Premier League, now is probably the right time for the Serbian forward to move on and try something different. With Fulham wanting to recover most of the initial £22million spent on the striker, any potential summer deal looks like being way overpriced for the 24-year-old. At £30million, Fulham are demanding a huge fee for a player that ultimately got relegated from the top-flight, and Mario Husillos must breathe a sigh of relief after missing out on this deal. Real Betis look set to complete a deal for Mitrovic, and West Ham must now regroup and move on to making sure they can finalise a deal for Maxi Gomez, who at 22-years-old has all the attributes to succeed in the Premier League.
