“Close Call: West Ham Fortunate to Miss Out on Striker”
West Ham Striker Target Sold to Another Club Despite Higher Offer from Hammers
It’s been a summer filled with transfer sagas and unusual deals in the football world, making it challenging to assess what constitutes good value for money.
One particularly unique case is that of Samu Omorodion.
The Spanish prospect was linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid to several clubs, including West Ham, Aston Villa, and Chelsea, and came very close to joining the latter.
Both London clubs reportedly made offers between €35-40 million, but neither managed to secure the striker.
Surprisingly, Omorodion has now signed with Porto for just €15 million, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
On the surface, this seems puzzling from Atletico’s perspective. However, Atletico retains 50% ownership of Omorodion, with Porto having the option to buy an additional 15% in 2025 and 2026 for €5 million each.
There is also a 50% sell-on clause and a €100 million release clause.
Dual player ownership can be problematic in some countries, especially in England, where West Ham faced legal issues with such arrangements when signing Tevez and Mascherano.
For Atletico, this deal could potentially yield more money in the long term, despite the club’s reputation for poor negotiation skills.
Ultimately, any English club that was interested in Omorodion may have avoided a problematic situation by not pursuing the deal further, as its legal complexities could make it unappealing and risky.
