Stoke City signed Badou Ndiaye in the January transfer window from Turkish Super Lig giants Galatasaray after he rejected West Ham United.
The division between the owners and the fanbase at West Ham United is developing into a chasm.
From the fury that followed the emotional Upton Park exit and the relocation to the initial unpopular London Stadium, to the club’s transfer strategy, Davids Gold and Sullivan have had to endure their fair share of criticism over recent times.
So perhaps Badou Ndiaye made the right decision when he chose to join Stoke City from Galatasaray for £14 million in the January transfer window.
When asked why he decided to move to the relegation threatened Potters rather than West Ham, who had been interested since last summer, the Senegalese midfielder made his feelings clear.
“It wasn’t very complicated. I chose to join Stoke, which is a big club with a great history and great players, very experienced,” Ndiaye said in quotes reported by Turkish outlet Teledakar.
“It’s a good club with a very serene environment and everything I need to develop and to be in the optimum condition to play good football”.
Ndiaye will have done his research and it would be no surprise to learn that the constant protests, the social media vehemence and underwhelming performances on the pitch in recent times put him off the idea of pulling on the claret and blue in January.
It really says a lot that Ndiaye would rather have committed his future to a Stoke side who, at the time of his move, looked far more likely to be relegated than David Moyes’ West Ham.
By the first week of March, however, the Hammers are only three points ahead.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
