“Crazy Money” Eyewatering Numbers on West Ham Saudi Deal

By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)

So Crysencio Summerville has chosen the Saudi Pro League over Roma, the Champions League and, if you believe the noise drifting in from outside East London this morning, he’s been a very naughty boy.

And half the country now seems determined to give the lad a good kicking for it.

Because the moment the Al Hilal switch was confirmed, up struck the usual chorus – money over football, no ambition, another one lost to the riyal etc.

As Claret & Hugh reported within minutes of the deal breaking, Fabrizio Romano put it in typically blunt terms:

“West Ham get £55m fee plus £10m add-ons.”

Obviously as a West Ham fan you can count me out of the outrage… I’m pleased with the deal.

Who Among Us Would Say No?

The figures being bandied about are frankly obscene, as The Sun helpfully spelled out:

Summerville is set to earn £1,373 per hour and £22.80 a minute following his staggering switch.

Over a grand an hour. Some £33,000 a day. That, for a young man on around £50,000 a week at the London Stadium a fortnight ago.

And we’re supposed to tut and shake our heads because he didn’t fancy a rainy Tuesday night in Wrexham intead?

Do me a favour. Anyone lecturing a 24-year-old on turning down generational wealth has clearly never had to check his own balance before payday. If someone slid that sort of money across the table and told me I could set my children up for life in the process, I’d have signed before they’d finished the sentence.

And He’s Hardly Off To The Knacker’s Yard

Then there’s the small matter of his age.

Summerville is 24. Even if he sees out a four-year deal in the desert, he comes back at 28 with plenty of road left to make his mark on the European game.

And it’s not exactly a retirement home he’s walking into. Karim Benzema, Joao Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly and Darwin Nunez are already there, with Simone Inzaghi in the dugout. He’ll do just fine.

Lucky Old West Ham

For obvious reasons, Hammers fans are not getting too pious.

We’ve just banked £55 million, plus a potential £10 million in add-ons, for a winger who was decent for roughly half of a season in which we were relegated. Half a season.

Money over football? From where I’m sitting, it’s the best bit of business we’ve done all summer.

Crazy money? Yes but good luck to him.