Eintracht Frankfurt director of football has explained how he no options left when West Ham moved in on Sebastien Haller during the summer.
Having missed out on long term target Maxi Gomez, the Hammers took absolutely no prisoners as they went hell for leather in Haller’s direction and as he now admits making life impossible DOF Fredi Bobic.
The German striker is now on a huge contract with the Hammers, dwarfing his earnings in the Bundesliga which like most European leagues can’t compete with the Premier Leauge on personal terms.
And it’s that which makes it impossible for clubs to hold on to their players but instead make life is difficult as possible at transfer fee level.
That’s why Frankfurt pushed their demands to £45 million for the 25 year old demanding that it was paid within 18 months and which at one stage had the potential to stall the deal.
But that left Bobic stymied as the Hammers stole away a striker of huge goals potential and speaking to Focus in Germany, he explained how he had to go against his personal wishes.
Haller is french, not german. As I mentioned previously that also helps explain his immidiate impact (vs Fornals), having moved away from home, to a more direct and physical league before…
also at no point does he say he regrets it.
he says he would have liked to keep him, of course he would, but regret and inability to compete are two very separate things.
watching frankfurt tonight, they really do miss him (and jovic), they couldn’t finish against a weakened Arsenal. Hopefully they can rebuild after, but great for West Ham to not be the stepping stone club for once!
“I would have liked to keep all the players we had to hand over.” Does that not represent regret? I wouldn’t have thought it necessary to use the word regret as it speaks for itself
Haller is generally accepted as more of a loss than Rebic or Jovic, glad we lost out on Gomez because we got the best striker to be sold last summer throughout Europe and the World at large COYI !!!
Haller is doing well while rumours have it that Jovic is struggling at his new club. If that’s the case maybe we will pick up Jovic at a knockdown price to replace Chico in Jan.
Now that may be an idea. They worked well as a pair as far as I remember?