WEST HAM swooped for Craig Bellamy in a £9million deal
last night - and will give the Welsh firebrand a stunning
£4m-a-year contract.
Bellamy has opted to join Eggert Magnusson's Upton Park revolution
after Liverpool showed him the door and let him go for signing
talks yesterday.
Hammers moved fast as they cushioned the blow of losing Carlos
Tevez and waved their cheque book around to beat off Bellamy's old
clubs Blackburn and Newcastle, plus Aston Villa. Bellamy has opted
for a new challenge rather than a Rovers return or a second shot at
being the Toon Army's hero. The size of the contract has been a big
factor too.
Magnusson is giving Bellamy a four-year deal worth around £16m,
making the whole deal worth a staggering £25. But for all of the
striker's negatives he has plenty of positives that had buyers
queuing up for him. Bellamy landed his dream move to Anfield last
summer but after boss Rafa Benitez left him out of the starting
line-up the problems started and came to a head with his golf
clubswinging attack on team-mate John Arne Riise.
Even then Benitez resisted approaches for Bellamy, but when his
money men demanded an end-of-season clear-out to fund the Fernando
Torres deal it was all over for the fiery star. Bellamy has been
teasing his would-be suitors over the past few weeks. He sent texts
to Blackburn players and staff, telling them he was coming
back.
