---
title: "How close did Edinson Cavani come to joining West Ham?"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2016/10/18/close-edinson-cavani-come-joining-west-ham/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ste Hoare"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2016-10-18T14:22:27Z"
modified: "2016-10-18T14:22:27Z"
---

# How close did Edinson Cavani come to joining West Ham?

Maurizio Zamparini, the President of Serie A side Palermo, has told [Football Italia](https://www.football-italia.net/blogs) that he blocked a move that would have seen Edinson Cavani join West Ham back in 2010.

According to the report from FI, the Uruguayan asked for a transfer to London and the then Palermo manager Stefano Colantuono was happy to let him leave.

However, ahead of Palermo’s 1000th Serie A game, Zamparini says that he stepped in to stop the move from happening.

![Kirk Irwin/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readwestham.com/readwestham/2016/10/584915730.jpg)

Zamparini was asked why he had the reputation as a ‘manager-eater’ and he used the example of Colantuono wanting to let Cavani leave on the cheap as to why he fired him, calling him a “knucklehead”.

Here’s what he had to say in full:

> When Cavani was here, I had Coaches who were knuckleheads! Colantuono, for example, wanted me to send him to West Ham. I told him, ‘you can go to West Ham!’

As we all know, West Ham ended the 2010/11 season bottom of the Premier League table on 33 points, seven points behind the 17th placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Things may have been very different if it hadn’t been for Zamparini!