Just hours after West Ham confirmed new £45m front man Sebastien Haller, multiple reports in Germany claim there is a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave for a Champions League club.
The 25-year-old broke the Hammers transfer record after signing a five-year deal, with an option for a sixth, eclipsing the £35m fee paid for Felipe Anderson last summer.
But German news outlets Bild and Kicker claim a get-out clause is written into Haller's contract, allowing him to join a Champions League club if approached.
Bild's report goes on to claim that Haller 'insisted' on the clause - or he would not be interested in completing a move to the London Stadium.
The news will disappoint, but not anger, West Ham fans, who will be wary of the club being seen as a stepping stone to bigger things. They will remember vividly the disruption caused by continued speculation about Marko Arnautovic's future earlier this year, and the problems that came when Dimitri Payet plotted his way out of the capital in 2017.
The clause may explain how West Ham were able to convince the forward to come to the London Stadium - contradicting initial reports in Germany that suggested he had no intention of leaving Europa League semi-finalists Frankfurt for a club that was not in the Champions League.
BREAKING: West Ham have confirmed the signing of forward Sebastien Haller on a five-year deal for a club-record £45million
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 17, 2019
It is not yet clear what amount triggers the 'get out' clause nor is there any more information relating to it at present.
The Frenchman was prolific for Frankfurt last season and recorded 20 goals in 41 games for the German side. He is joining a West Ham attack which currently boasts the likes of Javier Hernandez, Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson, leaving manager Manuel Pellegrini spoilt for choice when they kick off the season against the champions Manchester City in August.
Source : 90min