FIVE most ridiculous West Ham transfer rumours

Each and every transfer window throws up all sorts of rumours for just about every football club, many completely false and often bizarre in nature. But it at least gives all football fans things to discuss in the long summer months without any matches to entertain us. This has only intensified since the arrival of social media, where many supposed ‘in the know’ individuals speak as if they are aware exactly of what certain clubs are planning transfer wise.

However, there have been quite a few rumours involving West Ham attempting to buy some world class players in recent years that actually do hold more than a bit of truth to them. Almost as ridiculous as West Ham signing Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano say! Here are my top five strangest transfer rumours involving the Hammers.

Neymar

You know that Brazilian superstar, soon to be leading the line for one of the best international sides in the World Cup, as well as playing for one of the greatest clubs teams on the planet in Barcelona after his move last summer? Well incredibly, apparently West Ham were the first European team to put a bid in for the man some have been comparing to Lionel Messi. Back in June 2010, the Hammers supposedly submitted a 12 million bid to Santos for the youngster, which was of course turned down. Imagine if we had pulled that one off though?!

Alvaro Negredo

Last summer, Sevilla announced that they had turned down a 14.5 million offer from West Ham for the Spaniard, nicknamed ‘the Beast’, who went on to join Manchester City later in that window. Negredo has gone on to form a prolific partnership up front with Sergio Aguero for City, contributing plenty of Premier League and Champions League goals for the club. West Ham went on to spend that money on Andy Carroll, which I was delighted with, even despite the injury-ravaged campaign. But what a capture Negredo would have been if we had somehow pulled off that deal.

Fernando Torres

This one may not seem like a particularly enticing prospect now, but a couple of years ago, during Sam Allardyce’s first season in charge of the club in the Championship, West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan revealed in an interview with Iain Dale that the club had attempted to persuade Chelsea to allow the misfiring Fernando Torres to come on loan to Upton Park. To see Torres playing in the Championship just a year after his 50 million pound move from Liverpool would have been a remarkable fall from grace. While Chelsea said no, interestingly, according to Sullivan, their response was ‘not at this moment in time’. It was worth a try!

Carlos Tevez

Yes I know this one did happen before, but several years after the Argentine international left Upton Park, whilst in the Championship in 2011/2012, it appears the Hammers put a lot of effort into obtaining the services of Carlos Tevez on loan, after his notorious fall out with then Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini. This was confirmed by Sullivan in that same interview with Iain Dale. Tevez allegedly refused to come off the bench for a crucial Champions League tie for City, leading a long exile from their first team. Sensing an incredible opportunity of having Tevez run riot in the Championship for the club that was clearly still in his heart, we made every effort to make the move happen, including the fans singing his name from the stands. Alas it was not to be, but again, well worth a cheeky ask.

Thierry Henry

Yes indeed, arguably one of the greatest players to have ever graced the Premier League, apparently the Frenchman was subject of a bid from West Ham back in 2010, yet another attempted coup by David Sullivan. He certainly likes to aim high! We were apparently willing to make the Frenchman, at that time playing at Barcelona, the highest paid player in the club’s history. As with the others the deal probably never came close to going through.