West Ham have decided not to go ahead with the capture of highly-rated Estudiantes striker Duvan Zapata.
The Hammers had a £6.7million offer accepted two weeks ago and appealed for a work permit to be granted for the Columbian after an initial application was rejected.
But, in a bazarre twist of events this afternoon, David Sullivan’s son Jack tweeted that the club had decided against signing the 22-year-old striker:
We sadly have pulled out of the Zapata deal as indications show he won't get a work permit we hope to sign a replacement in 7-10 days
— Jack Sullivan (@jsullivanwhu) July 18, 2013
Jacks announcement came an hour after a popular Columbian football Twitter account announced that Zapata’s move had been completed:
Duvan Zapata nuevo jugador del West Ham de Inglaterra.
— Bolavip Colombia (@BolavipCo) July 18, 2013
David Gold confirmed earlier that he and Sullivan are working hard to sign another striker and possibly another midfielder, with Lille’s Saloman Kalou and Sporting Gijón’s Óscar Trejo both being linked with moves to East London.
