According to The Mirror, West Ham United just couldn’t pay the £11million outlay that Aston Villa forked out to take Ross Barkley on loan.
Villa confirmed the signing of Chelsea ace Barkley on Wednesday, as he made a season-long loan move to Villa Park in search of first-team football.
Unsurprisingly, Barkley had interest from other clubs, meaning Villa will feel like they have landed something of a coup.
It’s now claimed that West Ham wanted Barkley, but the Hammers were ‘unable’ to match the £11million deal Villa struck.
That figure comes from Barkley’s wages as well as the loan fee and agent fees involved in the deal, which West Ham just weren’t prepared to pay.
Boss David Moyes worked with Barkley at Everton, and seemingly wanted a reunion in order to bolster his midfield ahead of the transfer deadline.
West Ham don’t have a large budget though, and paying £11million for just one season of Barkley may not have been too wise for them.
They can instead look to use their funds to land permanent signings and build a squad for the long-term, whereas Villa will face a decision on Barkley in a year’s time.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
