Hammers forced to arbitration for Ngakia pay-out

West Ham have been unable to agree a fee with Watford following the departure of young defender Jeremy Ngakia.

So now the issue will go to arbitration where a compensation figure will be agreed following the right back walking out on the club at the end of his contract.

The club will hope to be recompensed for the time and development they invested in the youngster but in 99 cases out of 100 the club a player leaves usually comes out on the wrong end of the arbitration process.

Ngakia proved himself a very decent player when called into the squad last season but eventually refused to see out his contract at the end of the protracted covid interrupted season.

The Hammers offered him a series of deals but his agents never negotiated and it eventually emerged that he had decided to join the Hornets who were relegated to the Championship last season.