Ivan Juric hopes Nikola Vlasic returns to Torino this summer, while the Croatia international insists he wants to leave the Hammers and play for the Granata again.
Torino did not activate a €15m option to buy Vlasic permanently at the end of 2022-23 and are negotiating a lower transfer fee with West Ham.
However, they seem nowhere near reaching an agreement with the Premier League side, who have welcomed Vlasic back for the pre-season.
According to Tuttosport newspaper, a Torino fan asked Juric on Thursday whether Vlasic would return to the club this summer and the coach replied: “I hope so.”
Meantime, the Turin-based paper claims the Croat is doing all he can to persuade the Hammers to send him back to the Stadio Grande Torino.
The 25-year-old is not part of David Moyes’ plans in East London and is pushing to return to Torino, knowing that the Granata have made a €9m offer to sign him permanently. According to the report, Vlasic told West Ham directors: “I’ve been saying that I want to play for Torino for two months and I no longer want to stay here.
“I am worried, but I will continue training with seriousness even if it’s no longer possible to continue like this. I know Torino have already offered €9m, but you don’t want to negotiate and haven’t even told the club how much money you want.”