Former Nigeria international Brown Ideye has opened up on why he did not join West Ham United in the summer of 2014, completing a £10 million move to Premier League rivals West Brom instead.
The Hammers have come up against a host of former striker targets since the turn of the year.
Hammers News can confirm that David Moyes turned his nose up at Hugo Ekitike long before he was leading the line for Liverpool. West Ham were pipped by Bournemouth for Eli Junior Kroupi while, if he could turn back the clock, Moyes might’ve moved heaven and earth to land Ollie Watkins.
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Brown Ideye was another centre-forward who slipped through West Ham United’s grasp, though success would prove more elusive for him in English football than either Ekitike or Kroupi.
Brown Ideye could’ve joined West Ham United or Sunderland
Speaking on The Playzone podcast, Ideye reflected on the £10 million deal which saw him become West Brom’s record signing twelve years ago. He moved to the Hawthorns from Ukrainian giants Dinamo Kyiv amid rival interest from West Ham and Sunderland.
“Before I signed for West Brom, I had four clubs [who wanted me], but I chose West Brom,” Ideye says. “What are the other clubs? I had Alaves in Spain. I had West Ham. I had a West Ham contract, everything was sent to my agent, it was just for me to sign.
“I had Sunderland and West Brom. So I had four. I picked West Brom.”
Ideye, who won the AFCON with Nigeria in 2013, admits he was won over partly because of the number of African talents in the Baggies’ dressing room; Saido Berahino [Burundi] and Stephane Sessegnon [Benin] to Super Eagles teammate Victor Anichebe.
“It was amazing, I won’t lie to you. The feeling was amazing,” adds Ideye. “But it was difficult for me because I didn’t really have a proper pre-season with the team.”
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Ideye would only score seven goals in a West Brom shirt. Ironically, two of those came against the Hammers; a brace in a 4-0 FA Cup last-16 thumping of Sam Allardyce’s side in February 2015.
“You know, I mentioned the thing of West Ham and the clubs that were looking for me? So, there’s this agent that came with the West Brom deal, [together] with my Nigerian agent,” Ideye explains, feeling at the time that the Hammers were dragging their feet.
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“My Nigerian agent had the West Ham deal, and another agent from the UK came with the West Brom deal.
“The West Ham deal was not given any green light, and I felt like the West Brom deal was ready to go; ‘Come and sign and you’re on.’ So I went with the one that was sure.
“But [my Nigerian agent] felt like I betrayed him because I went with another agent, and he became really upset and started saying all types of things. I said, ‘Look, since it’s going to be this way, I would not want to fight with you. Let’s just call it quits.'”
Ideye would leave the Hawthorns after just one season, spending two years in Greece with Olympiakos.
Now 37, he later enjoyed spells in Spain, Turkey and even Kuwait before hanging up his boots.
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