West Ham United‘s hopes of landing Brazilian defender Fabricio Bruno have been met with a roadblock, according to journalist Venê Casagrande.
Casagrande’s report indicates that Bruno has rejected West Ham’s initial contract offer, stalling negotiations between the player and the club. While Flamengo, Bruno’s current club, appears to have agreed to a transfer fee with West Ham, personal terms remain a sticking point.
This unexpected turn of events throws the entire transfer into question, raising the possibility that it might fall through entirely.
For many West Ham fans, the news comes as a disappointment. Journalist Fabrizio Romano’s earlier “here we go” tweet had led them to believe the deal was practically finalised.
With Bruno expected to be their first marquee signing under new manager Julen Lopetegui, West Ham finds itself under significant pressure to secure his signature. A failed transfer could not only impact squad morale but also potentially strain Lopetegui’s relationship with the club early in his tenure, considering his past of leaving clubs abruptly.
The Irons initial optimism surrounding the Bruno transfer has been significantly dampened by the contract standoff. The club must now find a way to meet Bruno’s wage demands to avoid losing him and potentially disrupting the early days of the Lopetegui era.
It’s hard to know where the truth is on this rumour given Romano’s earlier certainty but the Italian ITK has been the more reliable source historically.