West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has declared war on the club’s fans with the proposed sale of Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion.
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That’s the view of a large group of West Ham fans, seething at the revelation today.
According to the likes of The Telegraph and Sky Sports, West Ham have agreed a deal with new Premier League rivals West Brom for Diangana.
The skilful, pacy young attacker shone on loan with the Baggies last season.
Key to West Ham’s plans but Diangana looks set to be sold
And he was expected to form a key part of David Moyes’s plans to build a new-look exciting young West Ham side.
Indeed he showed his class setting up all three of Sebastien Haller’s goals in the pre-season win over Ipswich last week.
But just as the Hammers look to have finally found someone to supply their £45 million striker, he looks set to be sold.
Club insiders Claret & Hugh – who have direct links to co-owners Sullivan and David Gold – have confirmed Diangana looks to be on his way with varying reports claiming the fee is anything between £12-20 million.
It comes as Moyes continues to miss out on a host of transfer targets having been told there is no money to spend.
Owners incur wrath of Hammers fans
Sullivan and Gold are pleading poverty due to the global health crisis.
A crisis it seems is uniquely affecting West Ham’s finances given most of the club’s Prem rivals – and many Championship clubs – are active in the transfer market.
West Ham supporters were already disgruntled with the owners, as proved by growing numbers at protests last season before the lockdown.
The impending Diangana sale appears to be the final straw for many West Ham fans.
Now some are convinced Sullivan – widely recognised as the big decision maker at West Ham – is waging war on the club’s fans and selling Diangana out of spite.
And knowing supporters will not be around at matches in any great numbers for the foreseeable future.
Protests against him, Gold and Karren Brady and the hostility towards them from fans – much of which is of their own making – has driven a divide between the boardroom and terraces that looks beyond repair.
‘Sullivan has just gone to war with West Ham fans’
One supporter, Mike Cawston, said on Twitter: “I’m fairly certain Sullivan has just gone to war with the fans. Diangana the final straw? #GSBOUT.”
And it was met with a unanimous response from his fellow Hammers fans.
Here are a selection of responses from West Ham fans.
Damn right they have, they don’t understand how bad this will be when the season starts!
— Ricky Forrest (@rickwhufc) September 2, 2020
I said the same, punishment for nobody renewing their ST’s. I guarantee he has been planning to sell rice all summer too, probably just waiting for renewals to be complete before he drops the bombshell
— Aaron McNamara ⚒ #GSBOUT (@AaronMc_92) September 2, 2020
No fans in the ground Sullivan is feeling brave #GSBOUT
— malcolm brown 🏴 (@malcolmrbrown53) September 2, 2020
Conveniently at a time when no fans are allowed (yet he wants us to renew) #GSBOUT
— mikejoyce (@hammersmikey) September 2, 2020
Well if it’s a war he wants ⚒.#WHUFC #GSBOUT
— Gareth Cavell (@67gareth) September 2, 2020
‘I give up with this club’
Nothing surprises me about these muppets anymore #GSBOUT
— BolyKen (@casajoanna) September 2, 2020
I give up with this club and it’s disgraceful owners. Do they have no shame? #GSBOUT Diangana is everything the fans want for this club and we’re selling him for £18mil https://t.co/0Rwt7DBcBr
— Nathan Purton (@NathanPurton) September 2, 2020
Brilliant, swap a young, hungry Diangana for a sulky Salthouse client, just so people get a bit of coin. Disgrace. #GSBOUT https://t.co/6yPlEf2oMf
— West Ham Rambles #GSBOUT (@WestHamRambles) September 2, 2020
If the fans club together £12M can we keep Diangana and sell Karen Brady? #GSBOUT
— Dan. (@stevo191) September 2, 2020
if it’s true i think gold and sullivan gonna sell diangana and rice and put all the money on their pockets :/
— ⚒️antho krays⚒️ (@krays2208) September 2, 2020
#AskWestHamWay do you think the reaction from twitter could swing the diangana deal and get them to keep him? It’s happened before with signing players and fans reactions…..
— Harry Morris (@Harry8Morris) September 2, 2020