West Ham United reportedly offered £26m to bring Moussa Marega to the Premier League from Primeira Liga champions FC Porto.
Many of the Premier League clubs who were linked with Moussa Marega this summer sent scouts to watch Porto’s 5-0 Primeira Liga thrashing of Chaves on Saturday.
But the Malian striker was nowhere to be seen. It is well documented that he was disappointed to miss out on a move to West Ham this summer, the London club having failed with a £26million bid as Porto refused to sell for below his £36 million release clause according to L’Equipe.
And Corrieo de Manha suggests that West Ham’s interest has caused some real problems behind the scenes at the reigning Primiera Liga champions.
It is claimed that Marega, who scored 22 goals in 29 league games last season, has been forced to train alone in recent days and has not been part of Sergio Conceicao’s first-team squad. This explains why he was nowhere to be seen against Chaves.
And Porto aren’t taking the situation lightly. CM are adding that Marega will have to apologise to the staff and his team-mates before he is considered for first-team duty again and will be under pressure to demonstrate his full commitment in every training session.
Meanwhile, West Ham will have been left disappointed too by this unresolved saga. Their 4-0 opening day defeat at Liverpool highlighted not only problems in defence but a lack of presence at centre-forward too.
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