West Ham wanted brilliant star Calvin Bassey from Rangers but ended up doing their worst bit of business of the summer instead.
One of the key positions David Moyes needed to overhaul at West Ham in the summer window was at left-back.
Arthur Masuaku was shipped out to Besiktas and Aaron Cresswell – a great club servant – had endured an awful second half of last season after something of a renaissance under Moyes.
The Hammers were linked with a host of powerful, fast, modern full-backs such as Borna Sosa, David Raum and Angelino to name but a few.
But as the window dragged on West Ham were struggling to address the left-back issue.
In the end West Ham fans were so desperate to see the club sign someone they welcomed Chelsea misfit Emerson Palmieri with open arms in a deal reportedly worth around £13.5m.
Many did question whether Emerson was the right signing and enough of an upgrade on Cresswell.
Supporters were hopeful the club would look to sign a fullback who would get forward and contribute goals and assists.
Emerson has never been that player and has just five goals and 10 assists for club and country in 162 games. Not a great record considering he is often deployed as a left wingback.
Now it turns out Moyes’ first choice target was exactly the sort of young, modern player Hammers fans had hoped for.
West Ham wanted brilliant star Calvin Bassey from Rangers but ended up doing their worst bit of business of the summer instead.
According to Bassey’s agent in an interview with Own Goal Nigeria, West Ham were one of three Premier League clubs pushing to sign the versatile defender off the back of his brilliant and consistent form for Rangers.
In the end the Nigerian defender joined Ajax for £22.6million from Rangers and he is a regular at left-back under Alfred Schreuder.
“Arsenal contacted us and we made it known to Rangers, but they didn’t follow up on the discussion,” Bassey’s agent told Own Goal Nigeria.
“We also had interest from Aston Villa and West Ham but in the end Ajax had the best offer. Not in terms of money but for his development. They promised regular game time.”
Bassey would have been a revelation at West Ham and just what we needed. And he can also play at centre-back too.
Of all the eight signings West Ham made in the summer, Emerson is comfortably the worst bit of business done by the club.
He managed just 33 appearances in his four years since joining Chelsea under four or five different managers.
West Ham would have been much better off giving Bassey the same guarantees over game time that Ajax were offering and spending the extra £9m on a player who could be the club’s left-back for the next eight years!
Emerson has not even been able to oust Cresswell from the West Ham team and at 28, is not one for the long-term.
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