West Ham chased Maxi Gomez from January to August to no avail.
But could there be a new window of opportunity?
Gomez might just be regretting snubbing West Ham as his Valencia woe deepens.
The long-running transfer battle between West Ham and Valencia eventually fell in favour of the La Liga side.
After snubbing the Hammers, Gomez endured a nightmare start to his Valencia career.
He barely kicked a ball at the beginning of the season, had his price tag and ability questioned by the club’s fans and saw the manager who pushed the boat out to sign him sacked just weeks into the campaign.
Sackings, fallouts, resignations and a club for sale
Los Che decided to sack Marcelino Garcia Toral after a fallout with club president Peter Lim.
Gomez has slowly but surely recovered, without setting the world alight. Last week he edged ahead of West Ham’s back-up striker signing, Sebastien Haller, on the goal trail with five in 11 appearances for the La Liga side.
But Valencia have once again been thrown into chaos after esteemed general manager Mateu Alemany – the man credited with making the Gomez deal happen – walked out of the club (Marca).
Marca reports that Alemany has left the Mestalla due to irreversible differences with the club’s president Lim.
Valencia uncertainty might work in West Ham’s favour
Alemany is regarded as the key man behind Valencia’s rise back to the top table of Spanish football in recent seasons. The club has recorded successive top four finishes. That is all the more impressive considering they finished 12th two seasons in a row beforehand.
According to Marca Lim is said to have interfered in sporting matters which led to a professional fallout between the pair.
But the growing uncertainty surrounding Valencia might just work in West Ham’s favour.
That’s if – and it is a big IF – the Hammers should some real ambition in January to right the wrongs of the summer window.
A pathetic £25million net spend has left Manuel Pellegrini’s side looking short on quality and options. Particularly up front where they are already utterly reliant on an increasingly isolated Haller.
Owner Lim looking to sell club amid fan backlash
Valencia fans have been protesting against Lim since Garcia Toral’s sacking.
And last month respected publication El Confidencial reported that Lim was ‘tired’ of the protests and is ready to sell the club.
Lim may well be tempted to recoup some of the outlay on their most expensive signing, Gomez. So West Ham must look to at least ask the question. If there is a chance then they should grab it to really push the East Londoners to a new level.
Whether owners David Sullivan and David Gold front up the money remains to be seen.
If not then after that paltry outlay in the summer, it begs the question, just where has the money gone?