MOYES’ MOST WANTED

DAVID MOYES once had a helicopter on standby for Gareth Bale – but plans to make sure he doesn’t get off to a flier against West Ham.

Moyes wanted to make Bale his first signing at Manchester United back in 2013, but Real Madrid beat him to the Welshman in a world-record £85million deal. Now, the Hammers boss has to find a way to stop him, with h Bale set to make his Spurs comeback in tomorrow’s London derby. Back in the dugout after a bout of Covid, Moyes said: “I thought Gareth was a Manchester United player – he was the right type. I wanted him to be my first signing at United. But it was already down the road a bit with Real Madrid. I tried to hijack it. I tried to get him.

“Manchester United offered more money than Real. They offered more money to the player. We did everything we could to try to get the player.

“We even had a helicopter at the training ground to take him and bring him back. We thought we had a chance.

“But he chose Real Madrid and he made a brilliant decision because he went on to win four Champions Leagues. He’s had a brilliant career.”

Moyes (below) takes charge of the Hammers for the first time since he was forced into self-isolation by a positive coronavirus coro test.

West Ham won league games g against Wolves and Leicester without conceding a goal, as Moyes relayed decisions to No.2 Stuart Pearce P from home.

Moyes M added: “My TV was a minute behind. Pearcey was ringing, saying, ‘We’ve scored again’, and I’m going, ‘You beauty’, and I haven’t even seen the goal going in.

“He was telling me the goalscorer before I’d got it through. But the lads were great, the staff were great. The period I was in lockdown was right in the heat of the transfer window.

“It was manic, trying to get the job done. It kept me really busy and kept my mind off the Covid, thankfully.”