Thursday saw multiple claims from the Spanish media that Celta Vigo and Valencia have come to an agreement on the transfer of Maxi Gomez.
It would see Los Ches pay €14.5m to Celta plus a million or so in potential bonuses. Santi Mina would be part of the deal, as well as a loan player from Valencia.
Throughout the saga it’s been made clear Gomez was insistent on having his views respected. He’s wanted to sign for a Champions League club, which Valencia is, and to stay in Spain despite more money on offer from West Ham.
However, the Hammers won’t give up and it appears they responded to the done deal claims with a late approach of their own.
Las Provincias go with a headline saying: ‘West Ham stops the signing of Maxi’
Marca take claims from Radio Galega, close to Celta, to say West Ham have reappeared, and Gomez has to decide between ‘the sports project that Valencia proposes to him or the economic offer of West Ham.’
Radio Galega weren’t great on this in January, so that, on its own, isn’t watertight.
The front page of Friday’s edition of Super Deporte, a Valencia newspaper, states: ‘West Ham intrudes but the Uruguayan wants to play in Valencia’
Faro de Vigo, speak of a ‘desperate offensive’ from West Ham, although they suggest it could be used to pressure Valencia into offering better personal terms.
They explain that one of the player’s ‘great wishes’ has been to continue in La Liga.
