Premier League strugglers West Ham United were reportedly willing to match the £24m bid made by Real Betis for Iglesias over the summer.
Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias snubbed the chance to join West Ham United over the summer, according to Estadio Deportivo, with the Spaniard seduced by an exciting project at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Iglesias was just one of many highly-rated centre-forwards linked with a move to the London Stadium over the summer, along with Maxi Gomez, Salomon Rondon and Aleksandar Mitrovic, before towering Frenchman Sebastien Haller finally joined the Hammers in a club-record deal.
The Spaniard had scored 39 goals in his last two seasons, including 17 in his debut La Liga campaign for Espanyol, and became Real Betis’ most expensive signing in two decades when he joined from £24 million in August.
ED reports that West Ham were willing to match the offer put on the table by Betis but Iglesias turned down the opportunity to earn a pretty penny in England, though he is hoping to prove himself in the Premier League at some point in the future.
“To me the idea of playing before 50,000 people motivated me a lot. You are making decisions based on emotions,” said the late-blooming number nine.
“I have always said that I like the Premier League and that I would like to play there one day, but I liked the project (at Betis) and I am very happy (with my decision).”
Iglesias has endured a difficult start to life at Betis, however, scoring just once in 12 La Liga matches with Loren Moron firmly established as the club’s first-choice centre-forward.
And despite boasting a hugely talented squad, including the likes of Sergio Canales, Joaquin and World Cup winner Nabil Fekir, Rubi’s side are just one place above the relegation zone with 13 games on the board.
It’s fair to say the ‘project’ isn’t going to plan.
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