Claret & Hugh have discovered the truth behind West Ham United’s attempts to sign Lille and England midfielder Angel Gomes.
Yesterday, reports emerged that the Hammers were losing confidence in signing Gomes on a free transfer this summer. Guardian journalist and West Ham fan Jacob Steinberg wrote that the Hammers had a £100k-per-week offer turned down by the player’s representatives and that the club was losing confidence in completing the deal.
This was followed by speculation on social media that the Irons were prepared to walk away from negotiations and focus their attention elsewhere.
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However, C&H has spoken to a source close to the player who has called the story “old news.”
We were informed: “West Ham did make an offer of £100k per week, but that was in January, and there has been no recent offer.”
The source continued, “We don’t think they’ve [West Ham] pulled out, but they are well down the list, and the money offered is less than what the club is paying Guido Rodríguez.”
Claret & Hugh have also been informed that Gomes has rejected two offers from the Bundesliga and is definitely coming to the Premier League.
It is our understanding that new England boss Thomas Tuchel personally called Gomes to explain his omission from the England squad. The Three Lions coach has indicated that he would prefer to select players based in England, with a few exceptions.
As a result, Gomes has decided to move to the Premier League this summer when his Lille contract expires. We have been informed that the player has multiple offers on the table, and West Ham is nowhere near in terms of the package offered.
With the talented midfielder, valued at over £30m, available for free, it would usually be expected that clubs would offer a higher-than-market-rate wage and a decent signing-on fee. However, it appears the Hammers are doing neither.