West Ham United failed in an attempt to sign AC Milan midfielder Diego Laxalt after negotiations failed to get off the ground, according to Calcio Mercato.
The report says it is the second summer that the Hammers have chased the Uruguay international, after failing to lure him from Genoa at the start of last season.
Laxalt impressed West Ham following his exploits for his country in the World Cup that year, featuring four times in the competition and attracting interest from all over Europe.
AC Milan won the battle to sign the 26-year-old though, and the Hammers were forced to look elsewhere for midfield targets.
It has been an unsuccessful move for Laxalt though, as he has started just six times in Serie A, and of his 29 appearances in all competitions 16 of those have come from the bench.
With West Ham sensing an opportunity to benefit from his poor debut season in Milan, it is reported that they renewed their interest in the midfielder this summer and even faced competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
Talks came to an abrupt halt between the Italian giants and the Hammers though, and for the second year in a row they were forced to look elsewhere for an alternative.
West Ham turned their attention from Laxalt to Pablo Fornals, as they completed the £24m summer signing from Villarreal to strengthen their midfield ahead of the Premier League season.
The 23-year-old is an outstanding addition to the Hammers squad, having led Spain to the U21 European Championships this summer, and is set to make his debut on the opening weekend against Manchester City.
West Ham fans will be able to see first hand whether Pellegrini has made amends for missing out on Laxalt, and will be hoping he can make a seamless switch to the Premier League.