The journalist who was the first to report that Emiliano Buendia would move to Aston Villa has made a massive claim about a West Ham United double deal.
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Portuguese football reporter Pedro Almeida is a name that will be familiar to West Ham and Aston Villa fans who follow transfer news on social media.
Almeida has made a name for himself as a source of transfer news and gossip.
So his claim that West Ham are on the verge of a massive double deal for Alex Kral and Adam Hlozek will excite some Hammers fans.
Transfer man makes massive claim that Hammers are close to double signing but ExWHUemployee gives it the thumbs down
“West Ham has practically closed the signings of Alex Kral from Spartak Moscow and Adam Hlozek from Sparta Prague,” Almeida claimed on Twitter last night.
“Last details with two players.”
Some West Ham fans were quick to highlight previous claims from Almeida about Hammers transfers which did not come off.
And when West Ham insider ExWHUemployee was asked whether the source was reliable and the news of the impending double signing true, he responded emphatically.
“No unfortunately,” Ex said on Twitter before then retweeting a post highlighting previous claims made by Almeida which didn’t come to fruition.
Some West Ham fans excited over Kral and Hlozek claim after same source called Buendia to Aston Villa first
But Almeida recently called Villa’s imminent signing of Buendia from Norwich for £33million when he was expected to join Arsenal (Sky Sports).
So it remains to be seen whether his West Ham claim is accurate.
West Ham have been linked with Kral and Hlozek for some time as David Moyes looks to beef up his squad by signing a central midfielder and striker.
Signing the duo would double West Ham’s Czech contingent to four.
However only yesterday Claret and Hugh claimed Moyes’s striker search has been narrowed down to Chelsea outcast Tammy Abraham and Slavia Prague’s Senegalese forward Abdallah Sima.
Last week Hlozek signed a new long-term deal at Sparta. It was a reward for the young forward’s brilliant form.
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But it has also been speculated that the contract was put in place to ensure Sparta get a decent fee should the likes of West Ham come knocking for their main man.
ExWHUemployee’s verdict does not bode well for Almeida’s claim.
But it would tie in with a report from Football Insider which made a vague claim Moyes has made progress on ‘a number of signings’.
For many West Ham fans transfer gossip makes for some excitement in the off-season.
Others only believe it when they see the player holding the shirt on the club’s official website.
It’s horse for courses and to each their own. But Almeida’s bold claim will be make or break for his reputation among Hammers fans.