Belgian club smash their country’s transfer record because they’re selling star player Hans Vanaken to West Ham United?
That’s the question many West Ham fans are asking after Club Brugge confirmed the signing of Ukraine forward Roman Yaremchuk.
As West Ham fans know, David Moyes has admitted he is trying to sign Brugge star man and captain Vanaken.
Indeed the player himself has publicly declared his desire to sign for West Ham.
Vanaken has made his wishes clear following bids from the Hammers and feels this may be his last chance for a big move to the Premier League having played his entire career in Belgium.
Belgium may have one of the best international sides in the world. But Belgiam club football is hardly a European superpower.
Brugge are run prudently and the most they have ever spent on a signing before this summer was around £8m for Kamal Sowah (transfermrkt).
But they have paid nearly twice that to sign reported former West Ham target Yaremchuk from Benfica (beIN Sports).
The move not only breaks Club Brugge’s transfer record but is also the most expensive signing in the history of Belgian football.
So have the Belgian club smashed their country’s transfer record because they’re selling star player Vanaken to West Ham?
That is the very reasonable assertion being made by Hammers fans today with the transfer window closing on Thursday night.
To add to the intrigue, Brugge were reportedly asking West Ham to pay a similar amount for Vanaken (between £12.5-17m) having had an initial £10m bid rejected.
As reported earlier, Moyes has allegedly told a West Ham midfield star he can leave, further fanning the flames of speculation that Vanaken could be on his way to the London Stadium.
Club Brugge manager Carl Hoefkens admitted recently that he could lose Vanaken to West Ham, even though he would love him to stay.
Then the player himself publicly stated yesterday that he wants to join the Hammers as it may be his last chance to play in the Premier League.
Hammers News spoke to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri about West Ham’s move for Vanaken last week.
Tavolieri has been right across the move from the start and gave some brilliant insight on Vanaken and what he would – and wouldn’t – bring to West Ham.
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