A West Ham striker dream is dead as outcast Memphis Depay finalises a move from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid.
Football Insider claimed West Ham were offered the chance to sign Depay from Barcelona in the summer.
Hammers boss David Moyes even addressed the rumours in a press conference with talk the club’s owners were keen on doing the deal.
Matt Hughes of The Daily Mail claimed in the print edition (13 August, pg. 113) that West Ham co-owner David Sullivan was keen to sign Depay but Moyes had made it clear that he wanted the Irons to pursue other striker targets.
And The Mail suggested that had caused a rift between Moyes and the board. Hammers News then spoke to co-owner Sullivan who gave that story short shrift.
One thing is for sure, though, under pressure Moyes will take all the help he can get to bring goals into his relegation-threatened West Ham team this month.
West Ham have scored just 15 goals in 19 Premier League games so far this season – the second worst record in the top flight. Unless that drastically improves – and fast – Moyes will be out of a job and the Hammers will be dicing with a disastrous demotion to the Championship.
Moyes has been snubbed by Youssef En-Nesyri of Sevilla. And links to Depay have resurfaced this month with intense speculation over his Barca future.
The likes of Man United, Juventus and Atletico Madrid have also been linked with the Dutch forward.
Now that West Ham striker dream is dead as target and outcast Depay finalises a move from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid.
According to widespread reports Barca and Atletico have reached an agreement over Depay (The Mail).
There has been some talk of a sticking point with Barca asking for Yannick Carrasco in return.
But Barcelona boss Xavi has admitted he is set for showdown talks with Depay amid claims he is finalising a move to their La Liga rivals (Football Espana).
One thing is for certain, it looks like any remote hopes West Ham might have had of resurrecting the deal which could allegedly have been done in the summer – before Moyes vetoed it – are now well and truly dead.