It seems that NY Times journalist David Ormstein might have been a tad over optimistic with his claim last night that West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville was a ‘done deal’ at £68 million ( €80 million), with the real figure apparently likely to be confirmed as £55 million.
Described by Italian media this morning as the ‘classic bait and switch‘ deal whereby the Hammers negotiated a higher price behind Roma’s back, the accusations with bother West Ham’s boardroom not one bit.
On his way to the Middle East? Crysencio Summerville’s instagram post.
Roma spent weeks negotiating below the asking price and trying to agree a deal with the player for less than he wanted. Much like offering less than the asking price for a house, a prospective buyer is always vulnerable to someone else popping up at the last minute and undoing all their carefully crafted low ball offers.
Summerville’s salary is reported to be four times what the Italians were offering. Who wouldn’t take it? That kind of salary sets you up for life in two years – in a sport where careers can be over in a second with one badly timed tackle.
Typical of the mood this morning:
“Italian journalist Luca Cerchione has accused West Ham United of ‘playing dirty’ with Roma by negotiating Crysencio Summerville’s transfer to Al-Hilal behind the scenes.”( insidefutbol.com)
Water off a duck’s back to West Ham’s Czech Sphinx. Whoever did the deal, be it board or Recruitment Director, (in this leak-free West Ham we’ll never know) those agile skills have procured money for at least one extra Championship recruit.
West Ham have shown themselves adept at selling: Now fans need to see the same astute negotiating skills at work in the buying market place.
With the manner in which they’ve conducted business so far – agreeing a deal with Jarrod Bowen, consulting over the club crest, agreeing season ticket prices and now a couple of well managed big-ticket player exits – there’s no reason to doubt that this revitalised West Ham board will get the job done.
The Italians don’t like being played. Well tough! Nearly every single European club over inflates sales to Premier league clubs but won’t offer anywhere near that valuation when they want to buy. When the shoe is on the other foot they call it dirty tactics.
And as for Summerville and anyone else wanting away. Well sorry pal, you and your pals were part responsible for the financial position the club finds itself in. You were employed on a high paid contract to perform (and happy to sign) and you’ve failed. If the club feels it needs to take a higher offer to balance its books because of your own participation in the failure then I’m afraid that’s the reality of underperforming. The club has to look out for itself. So unless Roma can step up and offer more to the club then you’re either off to the desert or staying put.
Roma would have been under no illusions the deal wasn’t done until the player signs and that’s also the case with Al Hilal once he has signed we can move on and so will Roma.
I think we’ve been done. Fernandes was worth 100k and Summerville at least 80k.