West Ham learn to expect the unexpected on deadline day
Transfer deadline day can put paid to even the best laid plans.
This summer, West Ham United have enthused their fans with some exciting signings and not an insignificant amount of cash splashed.
With the transfer record broken for Felipe Anderson and other big-name signings like Andriy Yarmolenko and Jack Wilshere added to the team, the Hammers have had a slick summer behind the scenes. On social media, too, they’ve had a good window, producing understated yet engaging transfer videos for each of their players that showed quite a bit of thought and strategy.
And so on deadline day – which comes just hours before the start of the new season this year – they had prepared another great video for a new signing.
With Fantasy Premier League enthusiasts all over the world thinking about getting their teams in before the start of the new campaign, the Hammers’ social media account announced their new signing, Lucas Perez from Arsenal, by mocking up a video to include his name in the FPL player selection.
Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy? pic.twitter.com/Wl0Ul9VifT— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) August 9, 2018
It throws a spanner in the works for West Ham fans who will be hoping their new attacker will shine in Manuel Pellegrini’s team this season and bag a fair few goals – both for his real team and for some fantasy teams, too.
But there was also a spanner in the works for the Hammers, too – instead of the announcement being made by the club’s bespoke transfer video, they were beaten to the punch by another new signing, Jack Wilshere, who posted an image of his former Gunners teammate Perez in the training ground dressing room on his Instagram Stories.
#WHUFC Cat out the bag then…Perez done, signs three-year deal, wages similar to the £80k p/w he was on at #AFC
Given the fee, great deal – Sanchez still to come before 5pm, whether Wilshere announces that or not we'll wait and see. pic.twitter.com/Lm4pLFgAPi
— Jack Rosser (@JackRosser_) August 9, 2018
Not that anyone at the club will mind too much, and the video still did well in terms of engagement. But on deadline day, expect the unexpected.
About author
You might also like
Leeds United become first football club to sell official jerseys on TikTok
Leeds United is the first football club in the world to partner with TikTok to sell official merchandise and replica jerseys. Coinciding with the release of the new rhapsody purple,
Lewes FC Appoints Sue Anstiss To Its Board Of Directors
The Lewes FC Board is delighted to announce that it has co-opted Sue Anstiss as a Lewes FC Director. Sue has been a driving force for equality in sport for
Trustly extends partnership to become West Ham United Women’s Sleeve Partner
West Ham United is pleased to announce that Trustly has enhanced its relationship with the Club by becoming the Women’s Sleeve Partner. Trustly, the leading global account-to-account payments platform, became