West Ham Scouts ‘Left At Half Time’, Unimpressed – Trip Revealed By Ex-Striker | OneFootball

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West Ham United scouts ‘left at half time’ when on a trip to watch Tavi Popescu play for FCSC against Rapid Bucharest after not being impressed.

The Hammers have suffered the pain of relegation this season and are now looking at a summer of player sales and squad rebuilding.

It is a real departure from being a Premier League side flush with cash to chase the best and the brightest players across Europe.

Now it has emerged that West Ham’s scouts went to check up on FCSB’s Popescu in clash in Romania against Rapid Bucharest that happened two years ago.

At the time, winger Popescu was considered to be a rising talent in Romanian football and potentially in line for a move abroad.

He exploded onto the scene with FCSB, before then experiencing a decline, which he has since reversed to some extent.

West Ham’s trip was revealed by former Romania international striker Adrian Ilie, who opened up on the Hammers scouts being unimpressed and leaving the game at half time.

“There were scouts from West Ham, at an FCSB–Rapid game. They left at half time”, Ilie said via Romanian outlet Fanatik.

“People said to them: ‘Where are you going, because the match is still being played’.

“And they [replied]: ‘What kind of pace is this?’. They left at half time.

“They had come for Tavi Popescu. At half time they said: ‘Let’s go, because there’s no pace’.”

A move for Popescu is likely to be the least of West Ham’s thoughts at the moment as they plot to bring in cash through player sales.

Italian side Venezia are waiting to get the green light from Niclas Fullkrug as they seek to sign the striker.

Winger Crysencio Summerville is being chased by Tottenham Hotspur and Roma, while Taty Castellanos could even head back to Serie A.

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo is staying on at the London Stadium and West Ham are banking on him being able to put together a promotion winning team.