Joey Barton confirms West Ham United move is "not meant to be"

By Danielle Joynson | 12 Aug 2015 05:12, Last updated: 04 Jun 2025 23:15

Joey Barton has confirmed that his proposed move to West Ham United will not go ahead, but insists that he has "no hard feelings" despite a number of fans being against his arrival.

The controversial midfielder was believed to have undergone a medical earlier this week at Upton Park.

However, the club reportedly decided to pull the plug on a deal after numerous fans protested against the move.

On Twitter, the 32-year-old, who is a free agent after being released by Queens Park Rangers in June, released a video confirming that a move was off.

He said: "I'd just like to thank the West Ham fans who sent me a lot of kind messages on social media and especially on Twitter. Obviously with a character like myself there's one or two who are not so kind or complimentary, that's kind of par for the course with me these days.

"I felt West Ham as a football club certainly would have been a good fit for me. It's a ground I've always enjoyed playing at, a really knowledgeable crowd, really passionate behind the football team. Despite a few having reservations I felt I could really have done well and really offer something to the squad."

In January 2013, West Ham co-chairman David Gold tweeted that Barton "has a problem and should seek help" following the midfielder's argument with ex-Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann.