French club Olympique Lyonnais has accused West Ham United of displaying a “profound lack of respect” following the breakdown of Algerian forward Said Benrahma’s proposed transfer. The transfer, scheduled to conclude before the January transfer window’s closure, failed to materialize due to what Lyon claims was a failure on West Ham’s part to complete the necessary steps on FIFA’s transfer matching system.
In an official statement, Lyon expressed disappointment with West Ham’s actions, stating, “Following this incomprehensible behaviour… the international transfer certificate could not be requested before closing time.” The club further conveyed its regret over the situation and the perceived lack of respect exhibited by West Ham toward both the institution and the player, Said Benrahma.
Lyon’s statement continued, asserting the club’s right to pursue appropriate procedures to validate the transaction at a later date, while reserving the option to hold West Ham accountable if deemed necessary.
While West Ham did not directly address Lyon’s allegations in their response, they confirmed to Reuters via email that the deal was not completed in time. The London-based club refrained from providing details regarding the reasons behind the unsuccessful transfer.
The incident adds a layer of tension between the two football clubs, as Olympique Lyonnais expresses its discontent over what it perceives as a lack of effort from West Ham in finalizing the transfer deal. The fallout from this breakdown may prompt further discussions and potentially impact the relationship between the two clubs in future transfer negotiations.
