Tuesday 7 October 2014 10:09, UK
Diafra Sakho is determined to prove himself at West Ham United having feared that a dream move would pass him by.
The 24-year-old was snapped up by Sam Allardyce over the summer in a £4.5million switch from French side Metz.
He has hit the ground running at Upton Park, netting five times in his first five starts.
Sakho is delighted to be offering an immediate return on the sizeable investment made in his talent, with doubts having crept into his head once Premier League discussions began to stall.
He eventually got his wish, as West Ham co-owner David Sullivan stepped in to push through a deal, and the Senegal international is confident he can continue justifying that show of faith.
Sakho said: “I have always wanted to play in England and when West Ham came in for me in the summer, I thought that was it.
“But then the deal began to fall through as I think the coach was having doubts and I was resigned to returning to France.
“Fortunately for me, Mr Sullivan stepped in and said he would be signing me on a permanent deal. It was the chance I needed.”
Sakho’s agent, Mark McKay, revealed to Sky Sports on Monday that the in-form striker had also been recommended to Queens Park Rangers, but they decided against an approach.
That snub made Sakho all the more determined to prove himself and show that stepping up from the French second tier to the English top flight was a jump he was capable of making.
He added: “I heard QPR didn’t want me so I wanted to prove I could do it.
“West Ham gave me the chance and now the coach, Mr Allardyce, believes in me too.
“I’m enjoying it and scoring goals against Liverpool and Manchester United shows I can play at this level. I’m just glad Mr Sullivan put his trust in me.”
