West Ham beat Rangers to Faubert
Curbishley has set his sights on the promising French winger
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Sunday, 01, Jul 2007 08:56
Bordeaux winger Julien Faubert has joined West Ham for £6.1 million, the east London club has confirmed.
Rangers had been reported as close to sealing a £4 million deal for the 23-year-old but it became apparent Bordeaux were only willing to do a deal with Alan Curbishley's side..
West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson told the club's official website: "I am delighted to welcome Julien to Upton Park and feel sure that he will become a very successful signing for the club.
"He is one of the most highly-rated young players in European football and many clubs were attempting to sign him, so we are very pleased that he has decided to join West Ham United.
"I have been very impressed by his desire and ambition and I think he will be very popular among our supporters."
Faubert's agent, Philippe Sol, earlier told the News of the World: "Julien was summoned to a meeting with the Bordeaux president on Friday and told of West Ham's offer.
"It was substantially more than any cash on the table from Rangers and Julien was given an ultimatum by Bordeaux: West Ham or nowhere."
Faubert had previously gone on strike to force Bordeaux into listening to offers for him after believing they were pricing him out of a move.
Sol explained the striker's decision: "They were no longer interested in talking with Rangers and there really wasn't much of a way back for Julien at Bordeaux."
Faubert had also been linked with a move to Tottenham but Sol maintains that the midfielder's heart was set on a transfer to Rangers.
"He wanted to go to Rangers and had given them his word. But there is nothing he could do about the transfer fee and you can understand why Bordeaux wanted to accept West Ham's offer," said Sol.