Lyon and Real Betis owe West Ham a big apology after journalist’s stunning new claim
West Ham Owner David Sullivan with Ampika Pickston in the Directors box …
Lyon and Real Betis owe West Ham a big apology after journalist’s stunning new claim about deals
Lyon and Real Betis owe West Ham a big apology after a journalist’s stunning new claim about the Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals deals.
West Ham have had their name dragged through the mud in the last 24 hours.
Deadline day descended into farce for the Hammers surrounding the proposed transfers of Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals to Lyon and Real Betis respectively.
Benrahma was in France, in full Lyon kit, about to partake in a live unveiling after a deal was agreed with West Ham. But the move failed to go through in time.
And Fornals was set to return to Spain for a reunion with Manuel Pellegrini at Real Betis.
Fornals was then seen in the West Ham squad for the game against Bournemouth, only to be withdrawn at the last minute amid conflicting reports over the status of his transfer.
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Blame game shame
Lyon – and less so Betis – wasted little time pointing the finger of blame at the Hammers hierarchy.
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The clubs issued damning statements criticising West Ham for their conduct and failure to do the necessary administration at their end for the transfers to go through.
In a strongly worded statement, Lyon were particularly scathing, labelling West Ham’s behaviour “incomprehensible”, adding: “Olympique Lyonnais deeply regrets this situation and this decision, demonstrating a profound lack of respect on the part of West Ham towards the institution and the player.”
The issue, according to reports, seems to centre around FIFA’s Transfer Matching System with claims it wasn’t working at West Ham’s end. But cynics have suggested the Hammers hierarchy may have tanked the deals after failing to bring in a signing of their own.
West Ham responded to the criticism in a Hammers News exclusive today.
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Lyon and Betis owe West Ham a big apology
Now Lyon and Real Betis owe West Ham a big apology after a journalist’s stunning new claim about the deals.
The Telegraph’s Sam Wallace claims both the Benrahma and Fornals deals now look set to go through.
“West Ham and Lyon now hopeful that the Saïd Benrahma deal could be revived today, on the basis of problems with the tech lodging documents last night. Didn’t stop Lyon pointing the finger at West Ham overnight,” Wallace said.
And the reporter has added further detail in a Telegraph report compiled with colleagues Jason Burt and Sam Dean.
“West Ham’s failed deal to loan Said Benrahma to Ligue 1 club Lyon could be revived with both parties hopeful that problems with the online system to lodge transfers on Thursday’s deadline may lead to a reprieve from authorities,” the report states.
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 7: West Ham Owner David Sullivan with Ampika Pickston in the Directors box during the Premier League match between West Ham U…
Journalist’s stunning new claim about deals
“The London club also hope that the £7million move for Pablo Fornals to Real Betis could yet go ahead for the same reasons…
“In the case of West Ham and the Benrahma deal, documents had to be lodged on the Football Association’s online clearing house as well as the equivalent with Fifa, the “transfer matching system”. It is not clear which of the two systems slowed down the deal as the 11pm deadline approached on Thursday but it appears there is still a chance Benrahma may be permitted to join the struggling French club.”
The world and its wife have been queuing up to stick the boot in on West Ham over the drama.
But if the deals go through, then the relevant authorities will have been satisfied that there is evidence of the reported tech issues.
And West Ham’s old foes Lyon – who have some front criticising West Ham given the behaviour of their club when they met in the Europa League – will owe the Hammers a public apology.
It’s also worth noting how Lyon’s own fans feel about their club and its owners given violent protests that have taken place there in the recent past.
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