It seems that West Ham didn’t get very close to paying for Moussa Marega’s release clause to take him from FC Porto.
What the reports from Portugal said was that the Hammers offered €30m for the striker, while the clause that protected him from an exit was €40m.
Speaking to RTP this weekend, Porto president Pinto da Costa made it clear that he would have only let the player go in case someone paid for that amount.
“Fortunately no one has triggered what is in the contract signed by FC Porto, Marega and his manager, and that has a release clause in the contract accepted by the three. No one paid it and obviously Marega continues to play at FC Porto with all naturalness,” (via O Jogo).
“No one paid the clause. Any player who wants to leave and has a club that pays the release clause, FC Porto can’t do anything to hold him. That was not the case. No one came to Marega’s release clause, not even close to.”
Marega was tempted with West Ham’s offer, and when trying to force his way out, fell out with manager Sérgio Conceição. But now that the Premier League transfer window is closed, he should return to the team and be available for the next matches.
