New Marouane Fellaini to West Ham or Nottingham Forest rumour is surely some kind of sick joke after a Belgian site was credited.
West Ham and Nottingham Forest were involved in a host of transfer battles in the summer.
David Moyes chased Jesse Lingard to bring him back to West Ham for the best part of a year. But he ended up joining Forest in a somewhat controversial move instead.
West Ham’s manager reportedly snubbed a deal to sign Emmanuel Dennis and he ended up at Forest.
Both the Hammers and Notts Forest were said to be in for midfielder Orel Mangala as he became one of a legion of players to sign at the City Ground.
West Ham were very active in the summer signing eight players to the tune of £170m. But even they could not keep up with Forest’s transfer market shopping spree as they signed a Premier League record 21 players in one window.
Both clubs have struggled, though, with Forest in the relegation zone on 13 points – just one and two places below West Ham approaching the halfway stage.
Now Moyes and Steve Cooper are being linked with mutual interest in another player ahead of the January window.
But the new Marouane Fellaini to West Ham or Nottingham Forest rumour is surely some kind of sick joke after Belgian site is credited.
West Ham and Forest fans could be forgiven for thinking Fellaini had already retired.
The 35-year-old Belgian midfielder has been playing in China for Shandong Luneng Taishan since 2019.
He has been signed twice by West Ham boss Moyes for both Everton and Manchester United in the past.
And reports on social media credited to Belgian site Voetbal 24 claim that the Scot wants Fellaini for a third time in January.
The Fellaini link has also been picked up by other sites (West Ham Zone, ThisisFutbol).
Nottingham Forest are also linked with the towering midfielder in the report, which would have had fans checking the calendar to see whether it was an April Fool’s joke.
Fellaini divided opinion as a player in England, especially during his spell at Man United. There is no doubting he was a hugely effective player who worked hard for the team.
Links to Fellaini in his prime would have been a big deal for Forest but would have split fans of West Ham.
In fact they did just that when Moyes reportedly wanted to sign his former player when he first returned to West Ham in January 2020 (Sky Sports).
West Ham signed Tomas Soucek instead who has been utilised in a similar way to how Moyes weaponised Fellaini – particularly at Everton.
Being linked with Fellaini now, aged 35 and after three years in the football backwater that is the Chinese Super League, is unthinkable.
As if West Ham and Forest fans aren’t miserable enough at the moment! It is surely the work of the player’s agent or the start of the usual transfer window silly season stories.
West Ham and Forest fans can only hope.
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