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World Cup winning defender says West Ham desperately tried to sign him
West Ham United have missed out on some interesting transfer targets over the years.
Phil Jagielka nearly signed for West Ham when he was younger, while Joe Cole told West Ham to sign Harry Maguire when was still at Hull.
Jagielka and Maguire are two top centre-backs, but. Interestingly, West Ham were once also interested in a much more high-profile d🌠efender.
Indeed, speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, former Italy star, Marco Materazzi✨, has claimed that West Ham really wanted to sign him at one point.
The defender says that Paolo Di Canio used to call him every single day about a move, but, in🔥 the end, he chose to head back to Italy to give himself a chance of getting into the na♏tional team.
- READ MORE: The ‘fantastic’ West Ham striker who Joe Cole claims nearly signed for Man U🐭td at one point
West Ham wanted Marco Materazzi
Materazzi spoke about West♐ Ham’s interest in his services
Ac﷽cording to the defender, the Hammers were really keen on him when he was at Everton.
However, he chose to return to Italy in order to work his way into the national team – where he would eventu𝔍ally win the World C𒈔up.
“West Ham wanted me when Di Canio called me every day, hey, you have to🌸 come in London. You know, ♔I was in Liverpool. Liverpool is amazing for football, but the city is…” Materazzi said.
“Now it’s much better, right?
“Di Canio, what a guy, man. Yeah, I l🌃ove D♍i Canio,’ Ferdinand said.
Yeah, and then he wanted me at West Ham, but I decide ℱto back because ൩I want to try to go in the national team
Who did West Ham sign instead of Marco Materazzi?
West Ham failed ✨in their 💮pursuit of Materazzi in 1999 as he left Everton to join Perugia instead.
However, West Ham did dip into the defensiꦡve market in those years.
Indeed, the Hammers signed Gary Charles from Benfica – who would go on to play just eight league games fo🎶r the club.
After Charles flopped, West Ham went back into the market the next summer and signed Rigobert Song, who, also, dul♔y struggled in east London.
Luckily though, West Ham’s defensive issues weren’t a huge proble😼m at this time.
As ever, West Ham could turn toℱ their academy for help, and it wa꧋s around this time that a young player by the name of Rio Ferdinand was making his name at Upton Park.
Materazzi and Ferdinand would’ve made a seriously incredible partnership had they played together at West Ham, and who knows wh𒉰at the Hammers could have achieved had they played toge🍷ther.
