New Ajax striker Sebastien Haller has admitted he would have preferred to leave West Ham having shown himself in a better light.
Haller completed a surprise £20.25m move to the Dutch champions yesterday, becoming their most expensive signing ever and bringing an 18-month stay with West Ham to an end.
He joined the Hammers in the 2019 summer transfer window in a £45m move from Eintracht Frankfurt, where he had earned rave reviews after scoring 33 goals and assisting 19 in 77 games.
He was unable to replicate that form for West Ham United, where a bright start quickly faded out, and he managed just 14 goals and three assists in 53 games.
That has borne out, with the club electing to cut their losses and sell when Ajax made their move earlier this week.
That was a deal that came about quickly according to the striker, who admits the manner of the move has left him a little frustrated.
“It happened quite quickly, around the 1st of January. At West Ham, the second half of the season did not look very simple for me, I knew it, the coach did too,” he told RMC Sport.
“I had the opportunity to join Ajax, who are playing in Europe, who are playing for titles. I knew the place; I knew the coach. I seized the opportunity.
“I cannot deny that West Ham have invested a big sum (€40m). In my current situation, I really saw Ajax as an opportunity.
“It is quite frustrating to leave like this; I would have maybe liked to leave at a point where I was performing better. My time there was up and down, but I learned a lot of things.
“To play in Europe, yes that really counts. I have never played in the Champions League before, to look to play in that, that really counts.”
