Haller opens up on Hammers exit

Seb Haller says he has never once regretted leaving West Ham and says that his move to Ajax was a “gift”.

The Ivory Coast international moved to the Hammers from Eintracht Frankfurt in a club-record deal that cost the club £45m.

However, he repeatedly failed to fire in claret and blue and only managed to score 14 goals in 54 outings for the Irons.

Now with the Dutch club, he is in a much richer vein of form and has scored 45 goals in 56 games, a staggering record that has been boosted by his incredible Champions League form; this season he has netted 11 times in the competition, in just seven games.

And he has now confirmed that he does not have any regrets over his exit from the London Stadium, insisting that he simply did not fit in during his time at the club.

Speaking to Wettbasis, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Haller said: “I was just unlucky with a coach who had a different idea. My style of play just didn’t fit his game system. Accordingly, I was aware that I had no prospects and would therefore hardly be used.

“He needed a different type of striker. Sitting on the bench was not allowed to become a permanent conditions. Then, the offer from Ajax came suddenly, which I saw as a gift. An opportunity that I absolutely wanted to seize and that I have not regretted for a second.”

 

About Dave Langton

A journalist with 10 years' experience of working on National newspapers, now chief reporter covering the club that I've loved since I was a boy. Upton Park remains the greatest football stadium ever built.