Fans may be getting nervous about West Ham’s lack of action in the transfer market so far. However it’s important to remember transfer mishaps happen.
Whether that means signing players who are no good, or overpaying horrifically, transfers can go wrong. West Ham have been involved in some weird dealings, both in and out, in the past. I think it’s best that we avoid making such mistakes in this window. As such, a transfer taking two extra weeks to make sure of things makes sense to me.
But I thought it’d be fun to go through those transfers that live long in the memory, for the wrong reasons. From weird to downright rage inducing, these are the weirdest and the worst transfer sagas and their impact on the club.
7. Faubert to Real Madrid.
This one is here purely for it’s WTF factor. Here was a player who wasn’t exactly setting the world alight at West Ham. He’d turn up and try and sometimes he’s have a good game and sometimes not. He started off at right midfield and then got pulled back into the defensive position. It had all the hallmarks of being another player not remembered after 5 years. Until January 30th 2009.
Real Madrid came in with a loan offer for the Frenchman, even paying 1.5m for the right to do so. They even negotiated a fee for which he could be bought at the end at the season. I remember watching this unfold with real disbelief. Why on earth would they sign him?
His spell there was predictably weird. After being pictured alongside club legend di Stefano ,who had no idea who he was, Faubert made 2 appearances for the Spanish giants. In that time he missed training when he thought he had the day off, and appeared to fall asleep at the match. After all that he returned to help the Hammers gain promotion from the Championship before being released at the end of his contract. Bizarre from start to finish.