Aston Villa and West Brom have joined Saint-Etienne in the race to sign troublesome West Ham midfielder Morgan Amalfitano.
Manager Slaven Bilic and Amalfitano recently had a huge training ground bust-up where the player ‘gave attitude’ to Bilic, ending with Amalfitano being banished to train with the youth squad.
According to French source L’Equipe, the 30-year-old is wanted by ‘two English clubs’, believed to be the Villains and the Baggies.
However, Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne are leading the race for the Frenchman. They remain ‘very interested’ in bringing him back to France, and manager Christophe Gaultier had a phone call with Amalfitano yesterday evening over a possible move.
Unfortunately for them, his £40,000-a-week wages could be a stumbling block, which opens the door for a move to a fellow Premier League side who can handle those financial demands.
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Saint-Etienne are hoping that the Hammers would cover some of his wages in order to seal a loan move back to France, but it’s unsure whether they would consider that option.
Amalfitano signed a new two-year deal with the club in the middle of last season, but he could be shopped much earlier than anyone expected.
Hull City and QPR are both said to be interested in a loan deal for the midfielder, who can play centrally and on the wing, should he be open to dropping down a division in English football.
West Brom could be a strong candidate for his signature, as they initially signed Amalfitano on a season-long loan two seasons ago, where he impressed enough to earn a permanent move to the Premier League but opted for West Ham over a stay in the Midlands.
