West Ham United were heavily linked with two players in the summer who eventually ended up at Fulham.
West Ham wanted Alfie Mawson (Sky) and Jean Michel Seri (Sky Sports) over the summer.
Indeed they were very much favourites to sign both players at one stage.
In the end Fulham signed Mawson in an eye-watering deal that could be worth up to £20 million (BBC Sport).
West Ham targets became Fulham captures
The Cottagers also signed Seri for a club record £25 million (Telegraph).
West Ham’s failure to follow through on the Seri deal was bemoaned by fans.
Particularly after the club allowed both Cheikhou Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes to leave and only brought in injury-prone Jack Wilshere and former Aston Villa flop Carlos Sanchez in central midfield.
Pellegrini’s decision to opt out of both deals was thoroughly vindicated as the Hammers cruised to a 2-0 win over a Fulham side containing both players last time out.
Mawson run ragged while alternative Balbuena is MOTM
The Chilean went for international defender Fabian Balbuena instead for just £3.5 million.
He was named man of the match at Craven Cottage while Mawson was run ragged by West Ham’s attack.
Young Declan Rice dominated the midfield battle making Seri look ordinary.
Pellegrini clearly knows a player.
And it bodes well for future transfer windows as the club’s owners David Sullivan and David Gold are more likely to trust the manager with their money.
Bullets dodged but Cairney got away
That is not just based on the evidence of one game between the Hammers and Fulham.
Claudio Ranieri’s side are rock bottom and have conceded the second most goals in Premier League history at this stage of a season.
One player West Ham were interested in that remained at Fulham who did impress when the two teams clashed was Tom Cairney.
The athletic midfielder shone for Fulham and showed why former boss David Moyes wanted to bring him to East London.
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