West Ham United blasted as ‘totally unacceptable’ transfer bid tabled, offer made worth millions
Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry has claimed he turned down a £4million bid from West Ham and one other Premier League club for 20-year-old centre-back Ronnie Edwards.
The director, who is reportedly a massive West Ham fan, claimed the offer was “totally unacceptable”, and likened his player to Hammers legend Bobby Moore.
Edwards has made 89 appearances for Peterborough at just 20 years old and has represented England’s under-20 side 19 times, earning interest from a host of Premier League clubs in recent seasons.
Fry was speaking to West Ham news source Claret & Hugh, where he claimed: “I was offered something by West Ham which was totally unacceptable and was later immediately offered £4 million and £4 million by another Premier League club.
“We have had Mark Robson and several other Hammers people watch Ronnie over several months when I am convinced will become a truly top player and could even become the next Bobby Moore.
“I am not saying that simply to sell him because I will have no trouble doing that but I would love it to be to the Hammers because I have always been a supporter of the club.”
A cheap deal on a young talent
Whichever way you spin in, £8million for a 20-year-old homegrown defender with plenty of experience in the English Football League would be a brilliant deal for whichever side lands his signature, and Fry wants that to be West Ham.
He would likely find himself stuck behind several players at the London Stadium, with Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd representing the first-choice options, with new arrival Konstantinos Mavropanos in close contention, followed by former Italian international Angelo Ogbonna.
To compare any player to the legendary Bobby Moore is a massive statement to make, and probably a risky one given the actual chances that Edwards repeats what Moore did both for West Ham and England.
However, if the Hammers can get this deal over the line, then it remains to be seen how far the young defender could go in the game, and he is very clearly highly regarded by those who have worked with him so far in his short yet experienced career.
In other West Ham news, the club want to sign a controversial defender in January.