West Ham United’s performance in the league this season has been lackluster with only 18 goals scored in 21 matches.
Their poor goal-scoring record has resulted in a 16th place standing with 19 points, just one point ahead of Everton who sit in the relegation zone.
To improve their situation, West Ham signed Danny Ings during the winter transfer window. They were also interested in acquiring Terem Moffi, who has scored 12 goals in 19 Ligue 1 games this season.
There were reports last month that West Ham had reached an agreement with FC Lorient for Moffi’s transfer, however, he declined the offer and instead signed a loan deal with OGC Nice that includes an obligation to buy for €30m.
In an interview with L’Equipe, Lorient President Loïc Fery revealed that West Ham and Marseille had also made offers for Moffi. He explained how Nice was successful in securing Moffi’s signature over West Ham and Marseille.
“We had accepted an offer from Marseille and another from West Ham, which were within our parameters. When you close the door, you have to know when to stop,” Fery said.
“This time, Nice continued to solicit our player, even if there was no agreement. He was very unsettled. When you say the exit conditions are “X” and the first offer is a third of “X”, it is a destabilising factor.”
“You say no once, twice… At Nice, they are learning in their structure and I think they will have to operate differently because if they have the ambition they display, they cannot destabilise all the clubs. This was the case in Lens, this is the case in Lorient. There was a lack of consideration, it’s a shame, but it was explained.”
