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‘Awful player’: Did West Ham and Fulham dodge a bullet with Candreva?

Arfa Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images
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West Ham United and Fulham were reportedly interested in bringing Inter Milan’s Serie A winger Antonio Candreva to the Premier League.

Antonio Candreva of FC Internazionale gestures during the Coppa Italia match between FC Internazionale and SS Lazio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 31, 2019 in Milan, Italy.

On Thursday night’s evidence, Fulham and West Ham United might have dodged a bullet when they missed out on a January deal for Antonio Candreva.

Calciomercato claimed in the Autumn that the two London clubs were keen to sign the experienced Italy winger from Inter Milan in the mid-season window.

The 31-year-old has been a fine player in Serie A, a hard-working wide-man blessed with a crossing ability that would rival David Beckham in his peak. Candreva shone at Lazio and produced 18 league assists in two seasons after arriving at Inter for £20 million in the summer of 2016 (Calciomercato).

Antonio Candreva (L) of FC Internazionale is challenged by Trent Sainsbury of PSV during the UEFA Champions League Group B match between FC Internazionale and PSV at San Siro Stadium on...

But the last few months have seen a quite dramatic decline in a player who looks like a shadow of his former self.

Candreva has been handed just four Serie A starts all season by Luciano Spalletti and hit rock bottom in his most recent outing – Thursday’s Coppa Italia quarter-final defeat to Lazio.

Inter lost on penalties after the similarly much-maligned Radja Nainnggolan missed from the spot. But it was Candreva who had fans seething on Twitter after a quite remarkable miss from just four yards in the second half.

West Ham and Fulham might have got a lucky escape.

Antonio Candreva of FC Internazionale in action during the Coppa Italia match between FC Internazionale and SS Lazio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 31, 2019 in Milan, Italy.