West Ham United transfer news: Ibrahim Osman deal collapses amid ‘total chaos’ and controversy
West Ham’s deal to sign Ibrahim Osman has collapsed at the hands of an “unheard-of” demand from a rogue agent, according to BT.
The Danish outlet’s journalist Farzam Abolhosseini reported via Twitter on 28 January that Mitch Bakkovens has demanded a vast agent’s fee and brought the deal down, despite not being the Ghanian’s rightful representation.
In his story for their website he added that the “mammoth” deal was currently off after the Hammers bid 135million Danish Kroner [£15.5m] despite “really good” negotiations between the clubs, as Bakkovens had insisted on being paid millions of kroner himself, far more than deemed acceptable.
Yet Osman, 19, is supposed to be represented by English agent Darryl Powell, which has been confirmed to BT by the DBU (Danish FA).
Abolhosseini wrote: “Total chaos has erupted in the deal between West Ham and FC Nordsjælland, and it has nothing to do with the clubs.
“Agent Mitch Bakkovens demands too many millions for himself, but he must not represent Ibrahim Osman at all. The deal has collapsed for now.”
The DBU told BT: “”Both the football agent (Darryl Powell, ed.), Mitch Bakkovens and Osman Ibrahim’s lawyer have been informed by DBU that it would be against the football agent rules if Mitch Bakkovens had to represent Osman Ibrahim as his football agent, as Osman Ibrahim has entered into a valid representation agreement with Darryl Powell, which remains in effect.'”
How?
The January transfer window throws up some bizarre developments as the deadline approaches but this one appears to be a total farce, and how Bakkovens has managed to cause this situation has to be questioned.
If he isn’t the rightful agent and the clubs have maintained a good relationship throughout then in theory it may be possible for him to be cut out of proceedings and the deal to go ahead.
Since he is the stumbling block but he isn’t supposed to be involved then there seems to be no reason why the parties who are permitted to be negotiating cannot do so.
But if the deal is currently off there is obviously very little time to get it going again as the days tick down to the close of the winter window on 1 February.
West Ham, or at least Tim Steidten who this pursuit appears to bear the characteristics of, are clearly taken by Osman, who came through the same Right to Dream Academy as compatriot Mohammed Kudus.
So it is going to be hugely frustrating to the club if what looked like a nearly-done deal now doesn’t happen for such a ridiculous reason.
In other West Ham news, deadline-busting bids have been tipped to put pressure on a Premier League rival to sell a long-term Hammers target.
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