Fulham flyer Ryan Fredericks has decided to join West Ham on a free transfer after the Cottagers refused to make him the highest-paid player at the club, according to football.london.
The Trinity Mirror website report that the 25-year-old is set to complete his move to the London Stadium after discussions with Fulham broke down over his pay demands.
Football.london claim that the Cottagers believed Fredericks would sign a new deal after their promotion through the play-offs, but West Ham have pounced to snap up the jet-heeled flyer.
OPINION
While Fredericks was undoubtedly entitled to demand a pay rise following the Cottagers’ promotion to the Premier League, it seems a bit ridiculous for him to be demanding that he become their highest-paid player. There are several players at the club who are surely entitled to be earning more than Fredericks, and Fulham bosses obviously believed that was the case as well. West Ham have obviously been able to offer him similar wages to those that he was demanding in west London, and look poised to snap him up. His arrival is a promising one for the club, with his extra pace down the right flank sure to pose a problem to most Premier League defences next season. New boss Manuel Pellegrini really seems to be keen on bringing in fast, young players, and Fredericks most certainly fits that bill. It will be interesting to see what happens with Pablo Zabaleta following his arrival, with the veteran Argentine possibly to be used as part of a back three.
