{"id":21451,"date":"2026-07-26T06:48:50","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T06:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=21451"},"modified":"2026-07-26T06:48:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T06:48:50","slug":"summervilles-explanation-for-al-hilal-move-will-have-west-ham-fans-howling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=21451","title":{"rendered":"Summerville’s explanation for Al Hilal move will have West Ham fans howling"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Crysencio Summerville\u2019s explanation for his move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal will have West Ham fans in hysterics.<\/strong><\/p>\n

West Ham fans have wished Crysencio Summerville well after his move to Al Hilal for a number of reasons.<\/p>\n

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It was inevitable one or two top players would be sold by the Hammers after relegation.<\/p>\n

By raising \u00a3155m with the sales of Summerville and Mateus Fernandes, it means West Ham have been able to keep the core of their squad, including talisman Jarrod Bowen.<\/p>\n

Summerville will have Hammers howling at Al Hilal explanation<\/h2>\n

The Dutchman did everything right and handled himself with class throughout the process of leaving the east London club.<\/p>\n

Summerville also snubbed Spurs out of respect to West Ham fans, it has now been confirmed after his blockbuster \u00a365m move to Saudi.<\/p>\n

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\u00a370m for Summerville! Where does this rank among West Ham\u2019s best-ever sales?<\/h3>\n

Give us your immediate reaction!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Summerville then put his pal Kudus to shame with his touching Hammers farewell after the move was made official this weekend.<\/p>\n

Roma, Manchester United, PSG, Aston Villa and Chelsea were all linked with a move for Summerville.<\/p>\n

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Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Many fans, pundits and journalists have bemoaned the fact he has chosen to play in Saudi aged just 24.<\/p>\n

While the Saudi Pro League can no longer be referred to as a footballing backwater, the league is vastly inferior to Europe\u2019s top competitions.<\/p>\n

After signing a four-year deal at Al Hilal, where he will earn an eye-watering \u00a315m per season, the former Leeds winger will now spend his peak years there, which many feel is a shame for his career and football as money talks once again.<\/p>\n

Summerville says he used to watch Al Hilal after West Ham exit<\/h2>\n

But Summerville\u2019s explanation for his move to Al Hilal will have West Ham fans howling.<\/p>\n

When a new player joins a club they almost always lay on the charm in a bid to get supporters on their side from the get-go.<\/p>\n

It is par for the course.<\/p>\n

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A 5-star showing in Stevenage! Who stood out most to you?<\/h3>\n

Goals for JWP, Taty, Orford, Ajala and newbie Murphy \u26bd\u26bd\u26bd\u26bd\u26bd<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Hammers fans used to find it hilarious when their own new signings would claim to have watched or supported the club growing up after arriving in east London.<\/p>\n

But Summerville is kidding nobody as he says he used to watch Al Hilal games and tried to make out the move is not about money.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Neal Simpson\/Sportsphoto\/Allstar via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The former Hammer says the choice was \u2018easy\u2019 for him \u2013 no kidding Cry! \u2013 and that he watched Al Hilal games last summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe choice was easy for me,\u201d Summerville told Saudi press.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey call it the Real Madrid of this side (of the world), you know. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys played two or three years ago in the Club World Cup, and I watched the games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully Cry stopped short of saying he grew up watching Al Hilal from the North Bank of the 28,000 capacity Kingdom Arena.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all showbiz isn\u2019t it and Cry has to do what he has to do. Everyone knows he has gone there for the money but given how short a football career can be, especially if injuries get in the way, who can really blame him?<\/p>\n

West Ham won\u2019t be complaining of course because Summerville moving to Saudi pocketed the club a premium price for a player who, in truth, only had a dozen good games and two bad injuries during two years at the club.<\/p>\n

Moving to Saudi is also much more palatable for Hammers fans than seeing the Dutchman joining a rival.<\/p>\n

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