West Ham flip up a record sum for Norwegian Edvin Austbø!

Graham Potter was supposed to take over the baton after David Moyes’ successful spell as West Ham boss – but was weighed too lightly at the end of September last season. Nuno Santo had been sacked two weeks earlier at Nottingham Forest, and the Portuguese was brought in to save the Hammers.

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It didn’t help much. Santo couldn’t save the club from relegation from the Premier League either.

After two games in the Championship, the warning lights have started flashing again. What was supposed to be a quick return to the Premier League now looks far more uncertain. Then an up-and-coming Norwegian winger is needed!

Leaving gold and Champions League for England

Viking has created its own wave of success – elite league gold, Champions League ticket and title fight with Bodø/Glimt in this year’s elite series. Edvin Austbø is leaving all this behind – but doing so to follow the next part of his dream. It is in England.

West Ham of course got the 21-year-old’s goal in the Champions League play-off against Dinamo Zagreb – one of the goals that sent the Rogalanders into the most prestigious European tournament.

“A very special day”

Austbø has now signed a four-year contract with the London club.

“This is of course a very special day. Viking has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have grown up in this club, both as a football player and as a person, and got to experience things I dreamed of as a little boy,” says Austbø.

The largest sale in Norwegian history

Viking describes the transfer as a milestone in Norwegian football:

“The sale of Edvin Austbø is the largest player sale from a Norwegian club ever.

Stavanger Aftenblad has previously reported that West Ham will pay around NOK 140 million – with bonuses of up to NOK 40 million on top.

Need Austbø now

This will be really exciting to follow. Nuno Santo and West Ham need a winger like Austbø – after a start to the season with a poor 2 points in 2 games.

Read on F7: Club change underway for David Møller Wolfe after success in the World Cup