SC Freiburg’s Roland Sallai has told TuttoMercatoWeb that West Ham United showed keen interest in signing him in the last window.
Operating mainly on the right wing and also across other attacking positions, he managed two goals and seven assists from 27 games last season.
His displays had caught the attention of several clubs, including West Ham. However, they didn’t convert their interest into a concrete offer to secure the 26-year-old’s services.
Sallai has scored four goals and registered two assists from 10 games this season and that includes a goal in his side’s 2-1 defeat against the Hammers in the Europa League.
The Hungary international has admitted that he wanted to show David Moyes’ side his qualities when the Europa League group stage draw was announced. He revealed this when asked what it was like to score against West Ham.
“In the summer there was strong interest which then had no follow-up,” he said.
“Then there was the Europa League draw and I saw that we would be playing against West Ham: there something triggered in me in terms of motivation, not so much because I wanted to show what they had missed, but because I wanted to show that I could stay at that level there. I did it.”
When asked why the transfer didn’t take shape, the versatile attacker revealed that David Moyes congratulated him after the Europa League clash earlier this month.
“In football you have to fit together many variables, you know. There was interest, but it didn’t materialise,” Sallai explained.
“But the congratulations from West Ham manager Moyes at the end of the match made me happy. In any case, I don’t think too much about the past, but about preparing for the match against Bochum in a couple of days.”
The player has a deal until 2025 and isn’t thinking about a transfer in January right now.
“I’m not thinking about it at the moment. I’m focused on the games to be played. Then we’ll see what the future holds for me, no one knows what will happen, I’m thinking about doing well with Freiburg and with the national team,” he added.
