West Ham United are keen to keep Carlos Soler at the London Stadium beyond the end of the season, and they have already taken steps to do so.
The 27-year-old midfielder joined the Hammers on loan in the summer from Paris Saint-Germain and the London outfit now want to sign him permanently.
The former Valencia midfielder produced some impressive displays in recent games and has nailed down a starting berth under boss Julen Lopetegui.
According to a report from Sunday Mirror (page 55), West Ham have an option to buy Soler, but the exact value of the clause remains undisclosed by club sources.
The report is in total contrast to what Le Parisien reported earlier this week. They claim the Hammers do not have any obligation to buy him as part of the deal, but they negotiated a purchase option of up to £16.6 million.
West Ham are delighted with Soler, who is thought to be settled in east London. However, he would have to take a pay cut to complete the move permanently.
In recent weeks, West Ham and PSG have held talks about a possible permanent deal, and an “agreement could materialise as swiftly” as the January transfer window.
Sensible decision for West Ham to keep Carlos Soler
Soler has no future at PSG. He is not in Luis Enrique’s plans. Even if West Ham fail to secure a permanent deal for him, they will find a way to ship him out in the summer.
The Spaniard is enjoying his time in London, and the Hammers should not face enough difficulty in reaching an agreement for him.
Soler struggled initially at West Ham, managing only one start in the opening eight matches. It felt like the Hammers made a wrong choice in signing him, but he has gradually grown into a key player under Lopetegui.
He is a versatile player who can also play as a right-back. If he is willing to take a pay cut to secure a permanent move, it will indicate that he desperately wants to continue at the London club. The deal looks more likely to happen at some point in the near future.