West Ham United have enjoyed a strong start to the new campaign
Gary O’Neil has claimed that one of West Ham United’s most successful summer recruits was not the club’s first choice.
West Ham have enjoyed a strong start to the new campaign, and sit fifth in the Premier League.
Central to that early success has been Sebastien Haller, the French striker who has contributed three goals and one assist in his first six English top-flight outings.
Haller is reported to have cost West Ham a club-record fee of around £45 million from Eintracht Frankfurt.
But appearing on Talksport earlier, O’Neil, who spent two years as a Hammers player, said: “The centre-forward that they’ve signed – Haller – has been a huge part of that (West Ham’s recent form). He’s been a massive success.
“I’m led to believe he was sort of second-choice on the list as well and they couldn’t get the one they originally wanted. Sometimes things happen for a reason.”
It is not the first time such a claim has been made about Haller, with the European football expert Kevin Hatchard having previously told Talksport that Maxi Gomez was the striker initially sought by West Ham.
Gomez ultimately joined Valencia from Celta Vigo in what is rumoured to be a £13 million part-exchange deal and has also scored three goals in his first six league games for his new club.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
