From the plethora of reports this morning it would seem to an outsider that West Ham’s next frontman is ‘jetting in today’ to sign an agreement and complete a medical: I have lost count – would that be striker signing number 54 since Sullivan and Gold took over? However, a word of caution – at Claret and Hugh we’d heard that the reality differed – and that the deal had yet to be finalised, so headlines suggesting that Brian Brobbey is a nailed-on certainty to be headed for West Ham’s ranks were jumping the gun – exactly as media sources did with the midfielder ‘deal’ over Ezechiel Banzuzi on Wednesday.
Accordingly we contacted our high-ranking source inside the club to confirm the exact situation regarding the ‘agreement’ some are reporting for Brian Brobbey: Was it true that a deal had been agreed with Ajax?
“NOT TRUE. I wish it was” were the six words that came back but confirmed what we’d understood to be the case:
There are still negotiations to take place between Brobbey’s parent club Ajax and West Ham. That’s what we know.
What we think is that the Hammers would rather a deal structured along the ‘Jean Clair Todibo’ lines i.e. loan now, buy later.
So, as with the Banzuzi claims – ‘no deal’. At the moment. When that changes – we will let you know.
So I’ll keep my celebratory alcohol-free champagne in the fridge a while longer.
