West Ham United will not be signing free agent striker Diego Costa.
ExWHUemployee explains what will help West Ham sign brilliant Prem striker this summer
That’s after the former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid star agreed to join his boyhood Brazilian club Palmeiras (Sky Sports).
Moyes was apparently interested in signing the 32-year-old hitman (Il Messaggero).
West Ham fans pleaded with club to snap up free agent Costa
West Ham fans have been pleading with David Moyes and the board to bring Costa to east London on a free transfer.
The Hammers have an acute lack of options in the centre-forward department.
Michail Antonio is Moyes’s only senior striker after the Scot elected to wait until the summer to sign a forward with the money from the sale of Sebastien Haller.
Injury prone Antonio missed West Ham’s biggest game of the season, the cup defeat to Man United, with fatigue.
Lack of options becomes painfully clear for Moyes
And Moyes is not 100% certain he will be fit for West Ham’s game against Sheffield United on Monday night.
His “back-up” Andriy Yarmolenko is also out with a knee injury and could miss the rest of the season.
Meanwhile young forward Mipo Odubeko struggled when given his big chance at Old Trafford.
West Ham can still sign a free agent despite the window being closed.
And many West Ham fans feel Costa would be ideal.
But any hopes that the Hammers could land the burly former Spain international look dead in the water after he agreed a move to his native Brazil.
Costa hopes fade and die as free agent striker joins boyhood Brazilian club
“The 32-year-old, who left Atletico Madrid in January, is in negotiations with one of the biggest clubs in his hometown of Sao Paulo – and the one he supported as a boy,” Sky Sports reports.
“Palmeiras have offered him a two-year deal worth around £2.6m per year after tax. The player is currently in Brazil.
“Costa had been in talks with clubs in Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia since leaving Atletico.
“Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab came closest to meeting his requests but no club was able to agree terms.
“He had also been offered to clubs in the Premier League, with one top-six team offering him a deal until the end of the season, which was turned down.”
It is not clear whether the top six Prem club Costas snubbed was West Ham.
But it probably puts paid to any realistic plans the Hammers have to bring in a free agent striker with a lack of quality options elsewhere.
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