Hans Vanaken (Exclusive): West Ham didn't wanna pay €18million for me and hung me out to dry but I have no regrets

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone in Bruges

Hans Vanaken admitted that he was chomping at the bit to join the Hammers in the past two summers.

Ex-boss David Moyes had identified the Club Bruges midfielder as his primary target.  

Initially to partner Declan Rice back in 2022, then to replace the Arsenal-bound homegrown superstar a year later in the middle of the park.

Yet it wasn’t to be as West Ham were reluctant to dig deep into their pockets for a player who was about to turn 30 and with little to no future resale value.

Belgian Vanaken, who has bagged an astonishing joint-record SIX league titles at the Jan Breidel Stadium, told Capital Football: “There were discussions with West Ham and there was a moment I wanted to go. 

“But there need to be three sides [willing to do the deal].

“Bruges just put a price on my head and West Ham didn’t want to pay. 

“I accepted it because I was 29,30 years old and to pay like 19-20 millions for someone you will not gain anymore…it would have been a playing investment but not a long-term one for winning money. 

“We had a discussion for two, three weeks, it was the end of August [2022]. 

“Of course [I wanted to go], if the Premier League comes knocking…

“And also it was already the second or third time they were trying to get me. It gave me a lot of confidence, the same coach, all these things.

“But the end I decided to extend my contract here.”

Forcing through a transfer to east London by going AWOL was never in question though.

And Vanaken,31, said: “The moment I decided to extend here I put my full focus on Club Bruges again [and] forgot West Ham, trying to get as many prizes here. 

“If you go to West Ham I don’t think you play for prizes and for winning the Premier League.

“It’s nice to play here and I am not the kind of guy to force these things and who will say ‘I am sick, I won’t train’.

"I am so happy here and I don’t wanna do these things.

"They gave me all this trust to extend it.”

Vanaken talked eloquently about the importance his family has in his life.

Hence having to potentially live away from his wife and kids or uproot them would have represented a major obstacle. 

And taking Champions League football and the opportunity to win titles on a regular basis into account, the pros have outweighed the cons.

Despite failing to grab a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the world’s most competitive league, Vanaken unequivocally quashed any speculation that he’s living with regret.

He said: “I know London is a good city, there wouldn’t have been any problem, but my family couldn’t have come over every week. 

“But I like having my family close to me. 

“When these things come you put positive things, negative things and try to have a balance before making a decision. 

“But as I said there’s my club, there’s West Ham, there’s me…in the end it didn’t work out but I don’t regret it because I am so happy in Bruges where I’ve won six titles.

"We made history here and that’s something I am really proud of.

“The Champions League is the most beautiful competition and to be champion…you’ll never get used to it.”