Getting more complicated by the day, this shared club ownership business. It can make the playing field far from level when player transfers are mooted between clubs under the same ownership umbrella: West Ham’s failed bid to land Eli Junior Kroupi was a case in point in the Winter window.
Such shenanigans could well repeat themselves in the summer with West Ham, Everton, Newcastle United and others all interested in Emanuel Emegha, a talented striker with 11 goals in 21 games in League1 this season. The forward plays for Strasbourg: Unfortunately that would be the same Strasbourg who are owned by Blue Co, owners of – Chelsea.
According to a new report, Everton are thought to be the latest Premier League club entering the fray as they are preparing to bid in June for the Dutch 22 year old striker:
“tbrootball .com are aware that West Ham remain keen on Emegha – with Graham Potter in need of a new striker amid injuries to Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug – while Newcastle also view the Strasbourg No.10 as a potential replacement for Callum Wilson.”
The same report does claim that Blue Co are “ready to sell the Netherlands U21 international this summer, and keen to cash in while his stock is high.”
But if he’s a top quality striker, he’ll probably move under the same ownership umbrella without any of the chasing clubs having a look-in. Eli Junior Kroupi all over again.
I suspect West Ham will be especially cautious entering into negotiations to acquire a player who, if his ability matches his price tag, will end up quietly transferred between the two clubs owned by BlueCo.
‘Emegha to Chelsea’ is therefore much more likely, both clubs being under the same ownership. Quite why he’d want to go to Chelsea with zero game time in the offing is another issue altogether.
The modern transfer market is a murky business and West Ham’s interest in the very talented Emegha, however much it appears in the headlines, would seem unlikely to yield results.
