10 Players You Didn't Know West Ham Almost Signed
7. Edinson Cavani
Having plundered 78 goals in 104 games for Napoli, picked up the Serie A topscorer award, become the most expensive signing in French football at £51 million, and the West Ham supporters cant help but feel they missed a trick given revelations of his early desires for a Hammers adventure:
''When I was at Palermo, the Matador wanted a move to West Ham as he wanted to try out an adventure in the Premier League. Stefano Colantuono.
Now at lavish money-spinners PSG, West Ham seems a far cry from Cavanis potential list of suitors, but in August 2008, they were on the cusp of his signature on loan. With Gianfranco Zola at the helm, he was keen to acquire the Uruguayans services, with Palermo willing to do business. Then-West Ham chief executive Gianluca Nani had made no secret of his admiration for Cavani, and was intent on trying to rush through a deal.
However, with a deadline day move failing to materialize, West Ham were back to sniff around the future £51 million man in January. Craig Bellamy had been whisked off to Manchester City, while David Di Michele and Diego Tristan were toiling to no avail.
By then, however, the 22 year old Cavanis head was no longer in England, having remained focused on the task in hand in Italy.
''I know that several foreign teams, but also Italian ones, are following me. But honestly, I am not in a hurry to change clubs. I am in Palermo. We still have great things to do together. I'm under contract until June 2012." Edinson Cavani, 2009.