West Ham United are understood to be closing in on a signing that Paolo Di Canio once labelled one of the worst players he had ever seen.
Julen Lopetegui has taken over from David Moyes this summer as the Spaniard hopes to help the club progress up the Premier League table.
Moyes won the Hammers their first European trophy after winning the Conference League trophy but the Scotsman struggled last season and a managerial change always seemed likely.
HITC understands that goalkeeper Wes Foderingham will be moving to the London Stadium this summer after turning down other offers for his services, he wanted a move to the Hammers.
Di Canio on Foderingham during his days at Swindon Town
One man who was seemingly not a fan of Foderingham was ex-West Ham legend Paolo Di Canio.
During his spell at Swindon Town, Di Canio had Foderingham in goal and was quoted by The Guardian as saying: “He was one of the worst players I have ever seen. He’s another player like the others, why can’t we change the goalkeeper? Because the goalkeeper has a different coloured shirt?
“What he did was not only the mistake, which can happen to anyone, but the arrogance when he started moaning to the other players – that was the worst thing for me.
“A player that doesn’t recognise his mistakes which were clear from miles away, he started moaning to his team-mates. Out there he behaved as the worst professional, arrogant, ignorant athlete I have ever seen.”
However, these quotes were from 2012 and the Englishman has turned things around massively since this rather public admonishment.
Foderingham ensured he proved Di Canio wrong
The two men patched things up after these rather harsh comments from the Italian and the English goalkeeper has grown a lot since this ordeal.
Foderingham had spells at Rangers and Sheffield United and established himself as the first choice option for the Blades in the Premier League last season.
Di Canio started Foderingham on 78 occasions and clearly turned things around and this mentality could be what West Ham need next season.
Despite being labelled by Di Canio as one of the worst players he had ever seen, Foderingham has turned things around and is closing in on a move to West Ham.
A two-year deal is in the offing for the goalkeeper but the hold up has been Nathan Trott but the goalkeeper will be moving to Danish side FC Copenhagen this summer.
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