Is This Who You Want Us to Sign? 😡😡😡: West Ham Scouts Left the Stadium at Half-Time After Watching the Player Nuno Wants Them to Sign — They Were Unimpressed!

West Ham United’s recruitment team once cut short a scouting mission to watch Octavian “Tavi” Popescu after being left unimpressed by the pace of a Romanian league fixture, according to former Romania international Adrian Ilie.

The incident occurred two years ago when West Ham scouts travelled to Romania to watch Popescu in action for FCSB against Rapid Bucharest.

At the time, the winger was regarded as one of the country’s brightest young talents and was attracting interest from clubs across Europe following his breakthrough at FCSB.

However, the Hammers’ representatives reportedly saw enough in the first half and decided not to stay for the remainder of the match.

“There were scouts from West Ham, at an FCSB–Rapid game. They left at half time”, Ilie said via Romanian outlet Fanatik.

“People said to them: ‘Where are you going, because the match is still being played’.

“And they [replied]: ‘What kind of pace is this?’. They left at half time.

“They had come for Tavi Popescu. At half time they said: ‘Let’s go, because there’s no pace’.”

Popescu’s career has since experienced both highs and lows, with the winger working his way back into form after a difficult spell.

For West Ham, thoughts are now focused elsewhere. Following relegation, the club are preparing for a major squad overhaul, with several players attracting interest as Nuno Espirito Santo looks to build a side capable of securing an immediate return to the Premier League.