Palmeiras have turned down a €25 million bid from West Ham United for midfielder Richard Rios.
The latest update comes via South American journalist @GuarroPas, who reports that the Brazilian side are holding out for €30 million.
It’s not the first time the Irons have found themselves €5 million short. The exact same gap stalled the club’s move for El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague.
Same Story, Different Target
This is West Ham’s first formal offer for Rios, following a report from Hammers News on 21 June which suggested Palmeiras wouldn’t entertain any talks until after their Club World Cup campaign.
Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola said the player wouldn’t be going anywhere until mid-July at the earliest, depending on how long Palmeiras remain in the tournament.
Palmeiras could be involved until 13 July. Even then, they are not expected to settle for anything less than full value. Nicola claimed they’re actually holding out for €40 million, with clubs like Porto, Sporting CP, Manchester United, and Tottenham all showing interest.
Rios a Top Priority for Potter
New boss Graham Potter has made it clear he wants more power and flexibility in midfield. Richard Rios ticks both boxes.
Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay are also keeping tabs on a whole host of other players, all of which we are reporting on hammerbytes.com so take a look at other west ham transfer news.
Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira recently called Rios “a versatile player” who can handle both attacking and defensive roles. It’s a profile that fits what West Ham appear to be building under Potter.
€5m Short Again
It’s hard to ignore the pattern here. West Ham were reportedly €5 million short on Diouf, and now the same figure separates them from Rios.
Some fans have started to question why the club keeps pulling up just short when a modest bump might get the deal done. It’s especially frustrating with no signings through the door so far this summer.
Whether the board are drawing a hard line or simply dragging their feet, there’s growing pressure to act decisively. Potter’s rebuild won’t wait forever.
Clock Ticking Ahead of Talks
Palmeiras are still competing in the Club World Cup, so serious talks are not expected to begin for another week or so.
When they do, the Hammers will have to decide whether to raise their offer or risk missing out on another key target over what looks, once again, like a small gap in valuation.
