Bilic: I won’t beg players to sign for us
SLAVEN BILIC has made it clear he is not about to beg players to join West Ham as his summer-long search for a striker goes on.
A picture of Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan was posted on social media by his son Jack after a heart operation on Tuesday with the caption: “Dad’s just had heart surgery. Woke up from operation and is straight back on the phone to sign more players.”
But AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca will not be one after Bilic revealed he pulled the plug on the deal.
Bacca scored a hat-trick against Torino at the weekend, a feat replicated recently by Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette against Nancy, another potential West Ham target.
“Those are good targets, eh?” said Bilic. “We knew about them before everybody and were already watching those players! We should get something from those clubs. Want your player to score a hat-trick? Here’s West Ham’s number!”
Bilic confirmed that Wilfried Bony, of Manchester City, and Juventus star Simone Zaza are targets, with negotiations in the hands of Sullivan.
The West Ham boss still has the final say – and he revealed the real reason behind Bacca’s aborted £20m move.
“We tried and it was close,” said Bilic. “It became a saga – I think Bacca is impossible.
“I wanted him but I don’t want to have to drag players to West Ham. We are not Real Madrid or Manchester United but we are a good club and a proud club with players who are proud to play for us. Lots of players want to come here.
“So I was the one who said there was no point continuing with Bacca. We are not going to beg anyone to play for us.
“Maybe he was a big fish for us. He is at a great club on great money and he wants to stay on that level. And we are not at that level. We want to be in a few years but we are not there yet.
“I keep saying that having a stadium, ambition and money that match those clubs does not make you one of them.” Having moved into their new stadium, West Ham could go further up football’s ladder by securing a place in the Europa League proper tonight. Bilic said he was disappointed with the 1-1 draw against Astra Giurgiu in Romania last week and will ring the changes for the return as he nurses back Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini in time for Sunday’s clash with Manchester City.
Andy Carroll is still four to six weeks from a return from a knee injury but Bilic will not give up on his injuryprone striker.
“I’m never going to give up on Andy, he is so good and I like to stick with the players I feel are giving me everything,” he said.
“I like and love him as a player, even as a person. He is trying, he is doing everything.”
WEST HAM (probable): TV: Kick-off:
IN THE end it was the perfect – if emotional – send-off for Joe Hart.
Made captain for the night, he did not put a foot wrong as Manchester City made sure of their place in the Champions League group stages.
And City’s longest-serving player was left in no doubt of his place in the affections of the club’s fans.
They kept up a constant stream of supportive chants and cheered his every touch of the ball – significantly most of them were with his feet.
Already 5-0 up from the first leg, City made it four wins out of four for Pep Guardiola thanks to a second-half header from Fabian Delph. But the biggest
‘Bacca was a big fish for us’