The Gustavo Sá West Ham transfer has collapsed despite Famalicão accepting a reported £17.3million offer from the Hammers.
West Ham appeared close to signing the Portugal Under-21 international earlier in July after agreeing a €20million deal with his club.
However, Sport Witness reports that Sá rejected the move because he was unconvinced by the prospect of playing in the Championship.
Nottingham Forest have since agreed a deal worth the same amount. The 21-year-old is expected to spend next season on loan at Olympiacos, although Forest have not officially announced the transfer.
Gustavo Sá West Ham transfer exposes recruitment problem
Missing out on Sá represents more than the loss of another midfield target.
Famalicão accepted West Ham’s financial proposal, but the club could not persuade the player to join Nuno Espírito Santo’s promotion project.
Relegation will inevitably make some deals more difficult. Young players attracting top-flight and European interest may prefer alternatives offering immediate football at a higher level.
West Ham cannot afford to spend weeks pursuing targets who remain unwilling to play in the Championship. Recruitment chiefs must establish a player’s interest before investing significant time in club-to-club negotiations.
The rejection also arrives during an increasingly frustrating window. West Ham have raised £140million from selling Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville, yet Keiber Lamadrid remains their only permanent senior arrival.
ReadWestHam has already examined whether it is time to panic as the start of the Championship season approaches.
Sá would have provided creativity, physical presence and long-term value. His decision leaves West Ham searching for another midfielder while Edson Álvarez also moves towards the exit.
There is still time to recover, but the club must now target players fully committed to leading an immediate promotion challenge.
