West Ham chase missing cash in Masuaku transfer from Olympiakos

By Matt Scott

September 20 – West Ham are hunting for what they believe are missing millions in the £6.8 million (€8 million) transfer of Arthur Masuaku from Olympiacos.

The French left-back swapped the Greek champions for the London Stadium on August 8 but Olympiacos told local journalists they had received only £5 million (€6 million).

West Ham immediately launched a probe into the transfer. A letter from Club Secretary Andrew Pincher – published below for the first time – mandated the Gibraltar-based agent Kenneth Asquez to investigate what went on.

Pincher’s letter alleged that Olympiacos used unidentified intermediaries in the transfer. But they had told the football authorities including FIFA and the Football Association they had not involved any third parties.

The Hammers sent Asquez to Athens last week to get to the bottom of a transfer they think left them £1.8 million (€2.1 million) out of pocket, with unnamed individuals taking the money for themselves.

According to Pincher’s letter, Asquez’s job was: “To establish the involvement and identity of any agents or intermediaries acting for, or on behalf of, Olympiacos in the sale of… the player to the Club and what, if any, commission(s) were paid to such agents and/or intermediaries.”

Asquez and West Ham United both refused to comment when contacted by Insideworldfootball. However it is understood the agent came away from his three-day trip to Greece unhappy that he felt Olympiacos had not cooperated with his investigation.

Insideworldfootball knows whom he told Olympiacos the investigation is now centred on but for legal reasons cannot reveal their identity.

It is just the latest blow in a difficult start to the season for West Ham after they were beaten 4-2 at home 10 days ago to Watford in a match marred by crowd trouble inside the ground. That disappointment was compounded by a second successive defeat by the same scoreline on Saturday.

But even after these on-pitch upsets, West Ham’s difficulties are nothing in comparison to those of Olympiacos. The Greek club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis faces criminal charges of fraud, bribery, extortion and running a criminal organisation amid a huge match-fixing scandal in Greek football.

He has been banned from all football activity in Greece by the Athens courts and a recent report from the state prosecutor called for him to be remanded in custody.

Even so, the controversy around Marinakis, which has been going on for 18 months, has not prevented him launching a takeover bid for two-time former European champions Nottingham Forest. The proposal has not gained regulatory approval from the English football authorities.

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