BEVERLY HILLS, February 12, (THEWILL) – When the January transfer window shut at the end of last month and Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ captain, free agent and English Premier League hopeful Ahmed Musa, failed to secure a dream EPL move, even when he seemed destined for West Bromwich Albion, it seemed Sam Allardyce’s relegation-threatened side had passed up the chance to get a pacy player that they sorely needed.
But, German coach of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr revived what appeared to be dwindling hopes for Musa when he remarked that the captain’s move to the English club was imminent even after the window had shut.
He backed this implausibility with two reasons; the first, being that Musa, as a free agent, did not require the transfer season to get a club and that the player had impressed at West Brom’s Sports Science and Performance team at their Training Centre in Walsall.
However, Allardyce has authoritatively confirmed that Musa will not be joining his side this season for mostly financial reasons. He dismissed suggestions that West Brom passed up the opportunity to sign Ahmed Musa explaining that the Baggies had already strengthened their squad in his position and did not have the financial wherewithal to include Musa.
The loan signings of Mbaye Diagne from Galatasaray, Okay Yokuslu from Celta de Vigo and Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Arsenal, meant they could not take on any more players.
“We’d already brought four players in, so it didn’t fall within our budget anymore,” Allardyce explained to Birmingham Live.
Due largely to COVID-19 restrictions, Musa was unable to get into the UK from abroad in time to be one of the first considered. His late arrival meant Albion got other available deals over the line.
“More players would have had to have left to have funded that one. It’s a shame that Musa didn’t get in or come in earlier, obviously because of COVID he couldn’t make it.
“He may have been one of the four that we brought in, but because he was the fifth it couldn’t get done.”
Musa, 28, has been without a club since leaving Saudi side Al-Nassr in October of last year but has previous Premier League experience having joined Leicester City in the summer after they were crowned champions in 2016.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
