Jan Bednarek was ‘determined’ to join West Ham United before arriving at Premier League rivals Aston Villa on loan from Southampton on transfer deadline day, Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz tells Sport PL.
With the World Cup looming on the horizon, four months sat on the Southampton bench would have done little for Bednarek’s hopes of securing a starting spot in Qatar.
The former Lech Poznan man fell behind Mohamed Salisu and the excellent Armel Bella-Kotchap in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s pecking order. So a departure, albeit even a short-term one, obviously appealed to a player looking to build on his tally of 42 international caps at the so-called ‘Festival of Football’.
Bednarek was initially holding out for West Ham. But, after talks with Steven Gerrard, the 26-year-old would end up donning a different claret-and-blue kit.
Jan Bednarek chose Aston Villa over West Ham United
“First, he talked to David Moyes, who invited him to West Ham and said that he needed a centre-back because the defender they had brought for 35 million euros (Nayef Aguerd) had suffered a serious injury,” says Michniewicz.
“And Jan was determined to go there. He wanted to compete with their other centre-backs. West Ham have a lot of games because they also play in the Conference League.
“But then Steven Gerrard called him and the conversation was different. He told him that he would be an important player for him. He used the argument of the World Cup; ‘I know you want to go to the World Cup. You will be playing for me. I also have (Poland team-mate) Matty Cash here, so it’s good for your team’.
“This declaration convinced him.”
Bednarek will be made to wait for his Aston Villa debut, of course. He is ineligible for Friday night’s clash with his parent club Southampton at Villa Park.
“It was an emotional day. One minute I am going to West Ham, another minute Villa,” Bednarek recalls.
“There were a lot of conversations with Southampton and all the managers. I ended up at Villa and I’m really happy with the decision. It was a good decision. It wasn’t easy because, if you have another option, you have to take the decision like an adult. This is real life.
“It was a tough problem but a good problem. I’m really happy I have these issues in my life, that I have to choose between two Premier League teams.”
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