Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

West Ham transfer news: David Sullivan attacks Carlos Tevez's 'love' for the club after £250,000 wage demand

West Ham held talks with Tevez over a return to the club but the move has fallen through after he demanded £250,000-a-week

Jack de Menezes

Thursday 07 July 2016 09:52 BST

Carlos Tevez demanded £250,000-a-week to return to West Ham this summer (Getty)

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has questioned Carlos Tevez’s “love” of the Premier League club after a possible return fell through when the striker demanded £250,000-a-week to move back to the Premier League.

32-year-old Tevez currently turns out for Boca Juniors in Argentina after leaving Juventus last season, but he remains a sought-after payer that Sullivan believed could be lured back to West Ham, nine years after leaving East London.

Sullivan and West Ham co-chairman David Gold are determined to bring in a high profile striker to crown the move to the Olympic Stadium and pus the side on next season, although bids for Jamie Vardy, Alexandre Lacazette, Michy Batshuayi and Christian Benteke have so far proven unsuccessful.

Summer 2016 Transfer Window - Done deals and rumours

Tevez’s name can now be added to that list, with the Argentina international likely to stay with Boca Juniors after demanding a quarter of a million pounds to join the club, leading to Sullivan launching an attack on his claim to “love” the Premier League club.

Sullivan said: “All this business, ‘I love West Ham’, well it’s ‘I love West Ham if they give me £250,000 a week.’”

He also revealed that West Ham’s offer to Tevez would have made him the highest paid player at the club, with the £150,000-a-week salary significantly more than the club’s current highest paid player in Dimitri Payet.

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Show all 10

1/1010 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Andre Gomes (Portugal, Valencia)

Portugal have earned more respect for their results than for their performances, but many have been taken by the performances of Andre Gomes in midfield. He has been elegant and clever for Fernando Santos’ side, ensuring that the far more accomplished Joao Moutinho cannot get in the side. This has caught the eye of many of Europe’s biggest clubs, and Jose Mourinho would love to add his compatriot to his Manchester United side, while Chelsea and Real Madrid are also keen.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Julian Draxler (Germany, Wolfsburg)

Draxler is no stranger to Premier League clubs, having been pursued by Arsenal when he was still at Schalke 04. But he has showed again during the Euros why he is such a special player: brilliantly balanced, fast, technically precise and imaginative. He was Germany's best player in their 3-0 thumping of Slovakia in the last-16 and he will surely start their semi-final against France tomorrow. He did not want a Premier League move last time, but that is unlikely to deter suitors for another summer.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Alessandro Florenzi (Italy, Roma)

Antonio Conte surprised Europe with his energetic, intelligent Italy team, built on the endless running of the two wing-backs. Alessandro Florenzi was stationed on the right, making up so much ground that Italy could effectively switch between a 5-3-2 and a 3-3-4. He was devastating when Italy beat Spain 2-0 in the Stade de France, the performance of the whole tournament, destroying Jordi Alba with his overlapping runs and his crossing. For Roma he is just as happy in midfield, and his versatility would make him a fantastic addition for anyone in England.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Alvaro Morata (Spain, Real Madrid)

It was a long time ago now but Morata was the best centre-forward of the group stages, scoring three goals and giving Spain a direct edge that they had lacked in recent years. It all fell apart against Italy, but Morata still leaves the tournament with his reputation enhanced. After winning two Serie A titles at Juventus, Real Madrid exercised their buy-back clause this week, giving them the option of either using him next season or selling him on. With Antonio Conte keen on pairing him with Michy Batshuayi next year, he could be in the Premier League very soon indeed.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Arkadiusz Milik (Poland, Ajax)

Poland made very clear that there is more to them than just Robert Lewandowski, and had it not been for their shoot-out defeat to Portugal in Marseille they would have faced Wales in a very open semi-final. Milik impressed throughout, as a clever elusive foil to Lewandowski, drifting into space left by the double and treble-marking of his striker partner. Milik scored against Northern Ireland, as well as twice in shoot-outs, and that is why Napoli are trying so hard to sign him from Ajax this week.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Joe Allen (Wales, Liverpool)

The man who makes Wales tick in midfield has had an exceptional tournament, directing their play and cutting through opponents with his passing. His club career is at a crossroads this summer, with one year left on his contract and some reluctance to sign a new one at Liverpool. Swansea City and Stoke City are trying to sign him this summer but he would be entitled, after these performances, to look higher than that, whether in the Premier League or further afield. He is certainly good enough, although he is also committed to ensuring as much playing time as possible in his peak years.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Radja Nainggolan (Belgium, Roma)

Chelsea are very keen on bringing Naingollan to Stamford Bridge and based on his performances at Euro 2016 it was easy to see why. He is a punchy powerful midfielder who is not afraid of a tackle and who scored two brilliant goals from distance, one against Sweden, the other against Wales. Like many of these Belgian players he was let down by a broken tactical system but given the structure of a Conte side he would excel in the Premier League. Negotiations have broken down but Chelsea may yet be persuaded to go back with a better offer.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Adam Nagy (Hungary, Ferencvaros)

Hungary made headlines for their 40-year-old goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly and 37-year-old Zoltan Gera, but it was 20-year-old Adam Nagy who surprised the most with his displays in France. He is an imaginative, delicate playmaker who was at the heart of the best football that Hungary played as they surprised many by making it out of Group F and into the last-16. Many of Europe’s big sides, including Leciester City, like what they have seen and after just one season at Ferencvaros he is likely to be off soon enough.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Milan Badelj (Croatia, Fiorentina)

One of the great surprises of the tournament was why Croatia, team of the group stage, fluffed their lines against Portugal in the last-16. But it was nothing to do with Milan Badelj, their industrious holding player. He was the one doing the dirty work to create the platform for Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, effectively shutting down Spain in the game which Croatia won to ensure that they won Group C. He is experienced at the top level, having played for Fiorentina for the last two years, and would give plenty of Premier League teams something they lack.

Getty

10 Euro 2016 players Premier League clubs should sign

Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Iceland, Nantes)

Iceland are a starless side, but Sigthorsson still stood out as a striker who could do a job for plenty of Premier League clubs. Like his whole team, he worked hard in and out of possession and gave nothing away. His goals against England and France showed a poacher’s instinct and, playing for mid-table Ligue 1 side Nantes he would not be hard to prise away for any Premier League team.

Getty

“So how much love is that for West Ham? I actually offered him £150,000-a-week to come back plus bonuses,” Sullivan added.

“I thought that was an incredible offer for someone who loves West Ham. And it was a huge gamble for us because he’s 33 now and hasn’t done it in South America.

“We tried to get Tevez but he wanted £250,000-a-week – and is he past his best? He hasn’t set the world alight in South America.”

Tevez left West Ham in 2007 after keeping them in the Premier League on the final day of the season (Getty)

In fact, Tevez does not turn 33 until 5 February next year, and his record in Argentina since his return last year stands at nine goals in 17 matches – the same as West Ham’s top goalscorers last season in Payet and Andy Carroll who achieved the feat in 30 and 27 appearances respectively.

Tevez also departed Juventus having scored an impressive 29 goals in 49 matches for Juventus, although he was left out of Argentina’s squad for the Copa America campaign last month. He remains a firm fan favourite among the Hammers faithful after his goal against Manchester United on the final day of the 2006/07 season kept the club in the Premier League.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies