West Ham plan to offload Morrison hit by Lazio's Bosman plan

Lazio want Ravel Morrison to sign a pre-contract agreement to join the Italian club at the end of the season.


Morrison’s West Ham United contract expires in the summer and the Hammers want to get him off the wage bill immediately.

The Professional Footballers’ Association were called into to settle a pay dispute between West Ham and Morrison over his £15,000-a-week wages after he was repeatedly fined.

West Ham have looked into terminating the 21-year-old’s contract this month if no club is willing to sign him and take on his salary.

Lazio’s interest does not solve West Ham’s problem, as the Serie A side are proposing signing Morrison on a Bosman transfer at the end of his current deal.

Morrison is due to stand trial at Manchester Crown Court on January 26 on charges of assaulting Reah Mansoor, 19, and her mother, Parveen Mansoor, 39, in the early hours of July 24, having been cleared of threatening to throw acid in the face of his ex-girlfriend and have her killed.

The midfielder could not move abroad until his remaining charges are dealt with, but Lazio are willing to agree a summer deal on the proviso that he is cleared.

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Morrison as the most talented young player he had ever worked with.

At West Ham, Morrison has showed flashes of brilliance – culminating in a superb goal against Tottenham at White Hart Lane last season.

He has made four appearances for England Under-21s, scoring two goals, and netted a superb backheel volley in training that became and internet sensation.

But disciplinary issues have dogged Morrison through his early career and he is not wanted by West Ham manager Sam Allardyce.

Morrison spent the second half of last season on loan at Queens Park Rangers in the Championship and had a spell at Cardiff City this term.


By Matt Law, Telegraph