Despite £8m profit, Bilic’s decision to sell misused West Ham flop Havard Nordtveit now looks like a mistake

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Havard Nordtveit is thriving with Hoffenheim after leaving West Ham United.

Hoffenheim’s Havard Nordtveit

West Ham United chose to let a number of players leave the club over the summer, with Slaven Bilic overseeing changes after a disappointing campaign last season.

The likes of Darren Randolph, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sofiane Feghouli, Gokhan Tore, Ashley Fletcher and Enner Valencia were among the players to leave, as well as Havard Nordtveit.

Norwegian international Nordtveit, 27, was seen as a bargain signing for West Ham last summer, as the former Arsenal youngster arrived on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach after years of impressing in the Bundesliga.

However, after just 16 Premier League appearances, Nordtveit was allowed to leave for Hoffenheim, with Sky Sports reporting that the fee involved was £8million – a major profit on a free transfer.

Despite the profit, the decision to let Nordtveit go after just one season seems like something of an error, as he is now thriving in a Hoffenheim side that enables him to play in one of his favoured positions.

Nordtveit is currently playing as a centre back for Hoffenheim, and has been part of a six-game unbeaten start to the season for Julian Nagelsmann’s side, underlining his importance when playing in a familiar role in five of those games.

Mostly a centre back or defensive midfielder, Bilic almost always played Nordtveit as a right back or right wing back, and given his lack of pace, it’s no surprise that he failed to play his best football there.

Now, Nagelsmann is making Bilic and West Ham look foolish for letting him leave, especially when the Hammers have leaked 13 goals in six games this season; no Premier League team has conceded more.

Conversely, Hoffenheim have conceded just three goals in five games with Nordtveit at the back, as he continues to impress away from the London Stadium, making many wonder just why Bilic seemed so reluctant to play him as a centre back or holding midfielder for much of last season.