A striker West Ham reportedly hesitated over in the summer has seen his value double overnight after the heroics of Goncalo Ramos.
It looks to be a case of coulda, woulda, shoulda for David Moyes and the West Ham board as the Portugal striker announced himself to the world last night.
West Ham fans who follow the club’s rumoured transfer activity closely will remember that the Hammers were being heavily linked with a move for Benfica youngster Ramos back in August.
According to a report from 90Min at the time, West Ham were one of the clubs tracking the Portuguese ace with a view to pairing him with Gianluca Scamacca.
But Moyes and the Hammers reportedly dragged their heels with other positions assuming priority status after getting Scamacca in the building.
If West Ham were not already seriously regretting that decision having only scored 12 goals all season, they will be this morning.
The pressure was on for 21-year-old Ramos when he was named as the replacement for dropped Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s last 16 clash with Switzerland.
But it didn’t show as he scored a superb hat-trick to help Portugal to a 6-1 win and a place in the quarter-finals.
And the striker West Ham hesitated over in the summer has seen his value double overnight after the heroics of Ramos.
The forward already has nine goals and one assist in 11 league games for Benfica this season going into the World Cup.
Reports from the likes of 90Min in the summer claimed the young forward was available for around £30 million.
Now according to a host of reports Benfica – who had already inserted a £100m release clause in the alleged West Ham target’s contract – will not accept anything less than double the £30m the Hammers and others hesitated over.
Benfica managed to get £85m from Liverpool for Darwin Nunez. So they will be rubbing their hands with glee over Ramos announcing himself on the world stage.
West Ham won’t be involved in the conversation any longer. Certainly not at those kind of prices.
It is all well and good saying West Ham should have signed Ramos now – with the benefit of hindsight.
But the likes of Newcastle looked closely at him in the summer too and decided not to pull the trigger.
This is what separates the clubs who can overachieve on a budget to those that underachieve – recruitment of players before they really start to make a name for themselves.
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