West Ham United did want to sign Nicolas Tagliafico on deadline day but couldn’t.
That’s according to respected Italian football reporter Fabrizio Romano when explaining what stopped West Ham’s deadline day attempt to land the Ajax left-back.
But David Moyes will try again for the Argentine defender in January according to 90Min’s West Ham reporter Toby Cudworth.
West Ham made move for Ajax left-back before deadline day – reports
A report from De Telegraaf claimed West Ham had agreed to sign Argentina international Tagliafico for around £10 million the day before deadline.
The news sparked excitement among West Ham fans who have watched Tagliafico star for Ajax in the Champions League in recent seasons.
Some West Ham fans speculated the Hammers may have negotiated forfeiting the equivalent transfer value in the form of money still owed to them by Ajax from the £20m Sebastien Haller deal.
Romano claims Tagliafico deal was not possible due to player being in Venezuela and the fact West Ham wanted loan with option
In the end West Ham signed Nikola Vlasic and Alex Kral on deadline day but Tagliafico did not arrive.
And transfer specialist Romano claimed the deal simply was not possible given the conditions surrounding deadline day with the player in Venezuela with the national team and West Ham wanting him initially on loan as a result.
“Alex Kral joins West Ham, done deal and official,” Romano said on Twitter last night.
“Loan with option to buy completed – Tagliafico has never been possible with these conditions.”
West Ham will revisit Tagliafico in January claims Hammers reporter
In fairness to West Ham it is understandable the club would have wanted the player on loan first with an option to buy like the Kral deal.
Because spending £10m on a player you can’t meet with or perform a medical on would have been a risk.
But West Ham will revisit the Tagliafico situation again in January.
That’s according to 90Min’s West Ham man Cudworth.
“Nicolas Tagliafico is a player West Ham like but the priority was bringing in Zouma and Vlasic – one to revisit in January,” Cudworth said on Twitter.
In other news, ‘Didn’t realise I had so many agents’ ‘Potato salad everyday’ Kral and Masuaku react to arrival.
And West Ham Republic as Hammers smash announcement video with genius Kral unveiling.