---
title: "Virals: West Ham ‘in first place’ to sign Nikola Milenkovic"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2022/03/28/virals-west-ham-in-first-place-to-sign-nikola-milenkovic/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2022-03-28T14:00:00Z"
modified: "2022-03-28T14:00:00Z"
---

# Virals: West Ham ‘in first place’ to sign Nikola Milenkovic

[West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2022/03/28/virals-west-ham-make-offer-to-sign-dejan-lovren/) are reportedly ‘in first place’ to sign Fiorentina central defender [Nikola Milenkovic](https://readwestham.com/2022/03/25/virals-west-ham-set-their-sights-on-serie-a-ace-nikola-milenkovic/) in the summer transfer window.

The Hammers were [heavily linked](https://www.teamtalk.com/west-ham-united/nikola-milenkovic-hammers-primed-transfer-long-term-target-following-gentlemans-agreement) with the 24-year-old in 2021 but the move failed to materialise.

Instead, Milenkovic signed a [new one-year contract](https://www.acffiorentina.com/en/news/all/news-men-first-team/2021-08-19/milenkovic-signs-new-deal#:~:text=ACF%20Fiorentina%20is%20pleased%20to,young%20defenders%20in%20Serie%20A.)extension to stay in Florence.

Now a fresh report from [Corriere Fiorentino](https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/) (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/west-ham-first-place-signing/)), as cited on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Sport_Witness/status/1508401565098463233), has claimed that the deal could finally happen at the end of this season.

> Nikola Milenkovic | West Ham ‘in first place’ for signing – Player wants shot at European football.[https://t.co/lMv5XphVNZ](https://t.co/lMv5XphVNZ) [#whufc](https://twitter.com/hashtag/whufc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [#coyi](https://twitter.com/hashtag/coyi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>
> — Sport Witness (@Sport\_Witness) [March 28, 2022](https://twitter.com/Sport_Witness/status/1508401565098463233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The report claims that the [32-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nikola-milenkovic/nationalmannschaft/spieler/413507/verein_id/3438) Serbia ace wants European football and any attempts from the Serie A club to extend again without such guarantees will be a ‘waste of time’.

So far this season Milenkovic – who was [hailed](https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/transfer-news/nikola-milenkovic-profile-tottenham-transfer-19238746) as the ‘new Vidic’ by Mladen Krstajic – has [scored three times](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nikola-milenkovic/leistungsdaten/spieler/413507) in 30 appearances across all competitions.

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

Valued at £20.70million and in the final 18 months of a deal in Italy ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nikola-milenkovic/marktwertverlauf/spieler/413507)), signing the towering Serb for anything less than that valuation would be a superb piece of business.

Boasting an [impressive array](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/319785/Show/Nikola-Milenkovic) of attributes, there can be little doubt over the Belgrade-born star’s ability to adapt to life in the Premier League.

With serious [question marks](https://www.football.london/west-ham-united-fc/players/west-ham-ogbonna-acl-injury-22112389) over the long term futures of Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna, adding Milenkovic to the ranks is a no-brainer for David Moyes.