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Feghouli: I wanted to win titles

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Image for Feghouli: I wanted to win titles

OPINION

West Ham fans are under no illusions. 

Their side have started this season brightly, but they still have some way to go before they can be considered serious and consistent challengers for silverware.

And that is always going to lead to limitations in terms of what they can achieve in terms of their recruitment.

In many ways, the transfer market is a vicious circle.

To win things, you need to sign the best players, to attract the best players, you need to win things.

Now, of course, that’s not to say that the Hammers haven’t bought well in recent times.

Sebastien Haller has been immense so far this season, winning a huge 7.2 aerial duels per game this term, as per Whoscored, while Andriy Yarmolenko, injured for much of last season, has been a revelation this time around, scoring three goals in the league already.

But the concern will be that for some players, there will always be a destination that is slightly more appetising.

And that seems to be the case with ex-Iron Sofiane Feghouli.

The Algerian international endured a pretty underwhelming season with the Hammers in 2016/17, and has now spoken out on his reasons for leaving east London for Galatasaray.

Speaking to Acufoot, he said: “In the end, I could not express my game and show what I was capable of. During mid-season [window], I had opportunities to start over again, but the club didn’t want to let me go. I had to wait until the end of the season to join Galatasaray.

“I swapped for them because I liked their project and the desire to win titles, something that I had not done so far. So, I just agreed to it.”

You can argue all you want about the merits of the Premier League in relation to other continental top flights, but when all is said and done, some players are like magpies – attracted to the glitz of winner’s medal, no matter it’s worth.

That’s no criticism of Feghouli by the way, many players and fans would feel exactly the same.

But the fact remains that until West Ham start winning trophies, they are always going to be susceptible to players leaving them for bigger and brighter things.

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