Super Eagles attacker Victor Moses has revealed he persuaded his former Nigeria teammate Emmanuel Emenike to join West Ham.
The Hammers on Sunday signed Emenike on loan from Turkish giants Fenerbahce until the summer. The Premier League outfit have the option of making the deal permanent.
Al Ain cut short Emenike’s season-long loan deal at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in the January transfer window following his below-par showing at the Abu Dhabi club. Fenerbahce loaned the 28-year-old to Al Ain before the beginning of last season after scoring just four goals in 22 appearances for the Istanbul giants in the Turkish Super League.
The Arabian Gulf League leaders insisted the striker didn’t do enough to prove his worth in a weaker league — after the South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner scored just nine goals in 15 appearances for the side.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic offered Emenike a surprise opportunity to revive his flagging career after he was sent packing by Al Ain, but Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Inter Milan were also reportedly interested in the former Spartak Moscow star.
And Moses says Emenike contacted him to ask about a potential move to Upton Park.
“He called me up and told me the club were interested in him. I told him, ‘You should come and play in the Premier League, West Ham are a family club, everyone here is friendly and we have a good manager here’ “Evening Standard quoted Moses as saying on Tuesday.
“I said to him, ‘Come and express yourself and you will do well’.”
Moses, who is also on loan at West Ham from Chelsea, is backing the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot winner to make a name for himself at the high-flying side.
“I probably played about 20 games with him in the same Nigeria team, where we call him ‘the Big Man’,” the former Wigan player said.
“Since I’ve been playing for Nigeria, he’s been there and we were together in the team who won the Cup of Nations, where he was top scorer. I’m really looking forward to him coming to the club and I am going to make sure he feels at home.”