Valencia departs for Mexico
The club has finally revealed in the last few days that Ecuadorian forward Enner Valencia has made his return to Mexico with Tigres. The 27-year-old had appeared on the official Tigres Twitter account in training last week, but the news wasn’t formally announced by West Ham United until Thursday. Valencia was signed in summer 2014 by Sam Allardyce for a club-record fee, following his exploits at the 2014 World Cup for Ecuador. However, the former Pachuca man failed to live up to his form or expectations and only netted ten times in 66 appearances wearing a Claret and Blue shirt.
The price of his return to South America is understood to be around £6 million, after Ronald Koeman’s Everton decided against signing the striker after a disappointing loan spell at Goodison Park last term. Valencia leaves England having ruined his reputation and chance of success in The Premier League, but goals like the strike at The KCOM Stadium will remind Hammers fans of what could have been for the quick front man.
Bilic issues transfer promise
Our Croatian manager Slaven Bilic has issued a bold statement regarding our activity in the transfer window. Bilic was speaking to WHUFC.com whilst on our tour of Austria and had this to say about signing players: “We are pretty close (on a few players), but I prefer not to talk transfers, I prefer to work transfers”.
Former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has been our only signing of the summer so far, with deals for the likes of Henry Onyekuru and Olivier Giroud breaking down in recent weeks. The gaffer and the board have received much criticism from fans in the last month for our lack of activity on the business front, as clubs like Everton are getting their transfer targets in early. However, Bilic and his staff are remaining optimistic of getting some high-class targets secured in the next few weeks.
Transfer gossip: Hammers end Giroud hunt and begin Hart medical
It has been reported in the last few days by Sky Sports News HQ that we have terminated our efforts to land Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud. The France international is believed to be the target of Everton and Marseille and talks reportedly broke down between us and The Gunners after Slaven Bilic found out that a move to The London Stadium wasn’t Giroud’s first choice. Gold and Sullivan are now rumoured to be turning their attention to securing the signature of Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier Hernandez. So, who will end up being our much-anticipated main striker for the start of the 2017/2018 Premier League season?
It has been widely reported by many London based newspapers this week that a loan deal for Manchester City keeper Joe Hart could be completed in the next couple of days. The England international spent last season on loan at Torino in Serie A, after being told by new boss Pep Guardiola that he wasn’t going to be part of his future plans. Some media outlets have also gone as far as speculating that Hart has already passed his medical at Spire Roding. As fans wait nervously for a Twitter announcement, excitement is finally back in the West Ham camp after weeks of frustration.