Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has opened up on Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham with some brutally honest comments.
West Ham have officially announced the signing of Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United.
The deal was announced on Saturday evening and represents a hugely exciting capture for the Hammers but bitter blow for Leeds.
There is a reason West Ham supporters refuse to believe a transfer is done until they see the player holding up a claret and blue shirt.
Many allowed themselves to start dreaming, though, when West Ham’s move for Leeds star Summerville developed rather rapidly this week.
West Ham’s interest in Leeds’ brilliant attacker is not new. But it progressed from a lowball opening bid to advanced talks in the space of 24 hours.
West Ham technical director Tim Steidten and new head coach Julen Lopetegui made Summerville a top target in their pursuit of a new left-sided attacker.
Farke’s brutally honest Summerville comments
Claims when Premier League rivals such as Chelsea and Liverpool were also linked, a deal looked like a long shot for the Irons.
Especially when it was claimed there was a £15-20m gap in valuation between West Ham and Leeds.
But it was widely reported a deal was edging closer to the verge of completion. So much so a top Hammers insider even confirmed what West Ham are actually paying Leeds for Summerville.
Things are rarely straightforward for the Hammers when it comes to transfers, though.
And so it transpired as claims emerged yesterday that the deal between West Ham and Leeds could fall through over ‘late agent demands’.
A top Leeds United journalist from the Yorkshire Evening Post dismissed fears the deal could collapse.
Now the same reporter has spoken to the Elland Road club’s manager about the move.
West Ham salivating and Leeds in mourning
Daniel Farke’s brutally honest Summerville comments will have West Ham salivating and Leeds in mourning.
Farke told the YEP that West Ham are getting not only Leeds’ best player but the best player in the Championship.
And he is not sugar coating things for Leeds, saying Summerville is so good it will be almost impossible to directly replace him.
“He was named and I would say he was the best player in this league last season, with many goals and assists, it will never be easy to replace him, especially one on one…” Farke said.
‘Of course we’ll miss him’
“To bring a new player in who will be the new best player in this league will be pretty difficult, you can’t have so much money as you need to spend in order to bring in a new Summerville.
“I’ve spoken about how much I like and value him and of course we’ll miss him but a club never relies on just one person, not on player, one coaching staff member or even the manager, the club and the team is always bigger.
“We work to find good solutions to compensate his loss.”
Summerville scored 19 league goals and added nine assists as he won the Championship Player of the Year award last season.
No wonder West Ham fans are extremely excited about signing the 22-year-old flying Dutchman.
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