West Ham seal £4m loan deal for Said Benrahma with £26m permanent fee included for Brentford winger after medical concerns threatened to scupper move
- The deal to take Brentford star Said Benrahma to West Ham had been in doubt
- That was after concerns were flagged following the winger’s blood test results
- But the clubs have acted swiftly to conclude a deal after handing in a deal sheet
- Benrahma will wear the No 9 shirt but will not be available to face Tottenham
West Ham have finally confirmed the loan signing of Brentford winger Said Benrahma with an obligation to buy for £26million.
The Premier League outfit will pay a £4m loan fee to their Championship counterparts for the Algerian, who is now set to join temporarily instead of what was a planned permanent move.
Sportsmail understands concerns were flagged up following Benrahma’s blood tests following checks during the second part of his medical that not only left the proposed move in the balance earlier on Friday but also destroyed any hopes of a permanent deal being completed.
West Ham have confirmed the signing of Brentford winger Said Benrahma on an initial loan
The move for the Algerian was in the balance after concerns over his blood tests were raised
However, after handing a deal sheet to the Premier League on Friday afternoon to give themselves more time to complete the deal, the two clubs have now concluded an agreement which involves a five-year deal for Benrahma as part of the obligation to buy.
‘I’m very, very happy to be a part of this team,’ said Benrahma, who will wear the No 9 shirt.
‘West Ham is a historic club, which has been in the Premier League for a very long time. It included and still includes good players. It’s a massive club in England.
But the clubs revived talks swiftly to buy themselves more time in the hope of agreeing a deal
‘I spoke to the manager, so I know exactly what he expects from me. I’ll try to meet his expectations on the pitch because he’s put faith in me and hopefully I can give it back on the pitch.
‘I like this prospect [of playing in the Premier League]! I play football to enjoy myself first and foremost, but it’s always enjoyable to know you’re joining the most-watched league in the world, so I’m definitely looking forward to showing what I can do.’
‘I’m delighted to welcome Saïd to West Ham United,’ West Ham boss David Moyes added.
‘He is a player who has had a lot of recognition for his performances with Brentford in the Championship. There has been a lot of interest shown in him so we are very pleased that he has decided to join us.
And now that deal has been confirmed with the 25-year-old Algerian to wear the No 9 shirt
‘We have been looking to bring in players who are hungry and determined to progress and get better. Saïd is an exciting talent with a lot of ability and the right qualities, who will complement the other attacking players we have at the club.
‘We need to give Saïd some time to settle in, but the step up to the Premier League is one I am confident he will be able to make. We are really pleased to have him here and looking forward to getting the best out of him.’
The deal has represented an instance of protracted negotiations, with the two clubs having already overcome one major hurdle before the medical concerns were raised.
West Ham and Brentford had a deal worth an initial £25m with a further £5m in add ons.
David Moyes will however not have Benrahma available for the trip to Tottenham on Sunday
However, after West Ham agreed the fee it emerged Benrahma had a problem with Brentford relating to bonus payments, which had to be resolved before he finalised a five-year contract with West Ham.
And while Hammers boss David Moyes on Friday denied Benrahma had failed a medical, talks took place to revive and restructure the previous permanent deal and get it over the line before the 7pm cutoff.
Benrahma however will not be available for the Hammers’ trip to Tottenham on Sunday as the deal was not completed before the 12pm deadline on Friday.