David Moyes reveals the one that got away

Former West Ham manager David Moyes has explained how he missed out on Axel Witsel joining West Ham during his reign.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Moyes told listeners that he tried to sign Witsel while he was playing in China but wages were a stumbling block.

“Witsel is a tremendous player and someone who I was interested in at West Ham last year when he was in China,” Moyes told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Obviously, his money was too big and he must be getting paid a lot at Dortmund, that’s all I can say.”

Witsel had a lucrative spell with the Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian that is thought to have earned him £20m in only 18 months.

He turned 30 last month and, usually deployed in the double pivot alongside Denmark’s Thomas Delaney in Lucien Favre’s fluid 4-2-3-1 system, has started all but one of Dortmund’s matches in the Bundesliga this season.