Calleri has a contract with Inter Milan

Jonathan Calleri and the future, there are many opinions, which one is right we don't really know.

Some reports suggest he has an agreement with us to sign, others suggest we are stepping up interest, others that he is staying at Sao Paulo, despite him saying he wants to come to Europe. Then there are reports West Ham want him, then there are reports they don't want him because he is going to the Olympics having been named in Argentina's squad. 

The Olympics end in late August and if we were to sign him he wouldn't be able to start training with us until September, meaning he probably wouldn't be ready to play until late September. He would have to get to our fin=tnss levels and learn our system, plus his role in it and produce enough in training to start being given cameo roles. That all takes time. That puts a huge question mark over him unless you look at it in a long-term view.

His alternative is to stay at Sao Paulo, where he won't earn the money he will earn in Europe. Of course, other clubs could come in for him, especially Italian and Portuguese clubs, the usual route into Europe for South Americans, thanks to third-party ownership rules. Fiorentina want him for instance, they have a comprehensive scouting network in South America.

He was due to play for Sao Paulo in the Copa Libertadores but pulled out an hour before the game. He was distraught and in tears after news had reached him of his best friend dying in a road accident back in Argentina. After speaking to his coach he immediately left the team so he could get home for the funeral.

Recently he flew to Italy to resolve issues with his passport, he is anticipating the arrival of it to aid his move to Europe and invalidate the need for a work permit. Until he receives that he is in limbo as far as his future is concerned. He has now missed the last five games for Sao Paulo.

I was about to conclude by saying that signing him would be unlikely in the circumstances and that he probably is only a fallback position if we are unable to agree fees for Batshuayi or can't sign Janssen when a further piece of research revealed he has a contract with Inter Milan.

GlobeSporte - last sentence in the article

Cross him off the list.

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