West Ham were ‘far down the line’ on Luis Diaz transfer with Moyes on phone to attacker before Liverpool hijacked deal

DAVID MOYES has revealed he had a telephone conversation with Luis Diaz in a bid to convince him to join West Ham.

The Hammers boss has admitted the club were 'far down the line' to sign Diaz in January before he moved to Liverpool for £50million.

West Ham made no additions in the winter window, while Diaz has hit the ground running since joining Jurgen Klopp and Co.

The East Londoners were keen on bringing in a forward but failed to do so, with Michail Antonio remaining Moyes' only option up top.

And the manager said: "It's true I spoke with Luis Diaz on the phone and we were quite far down the line to sign him from Porto.

"My understanding is Liverpool were going to come in for him in the summer, and I was going to try and get him in January.

"I don't know if us trying to get him in January affected Liverpool's decision but he's a really good player."

Tottenham too had been keen on Diaz, but Liverpool brought forward plans to sign the 25-year-old in the summer to snap him up in January.

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Moyes added: "I had a conversation with Luis Diaz on the phone, with an interpreter and his agent. I really hoped that he was going to choose West Ham.

"We didn't get him in but our ambition to sign the best players to improve West Ham is good."

SunSport also exclusively revealed West Ham failed in a £55m deadline day bid for Leeds star Kalvin Phillips.

The Hammers have won just one out of their last five games, and have slipped to sixth in the Premier League table.

They are three points behind fifth-placed Arsenal, but the Gunners have two games in hand on Moyes' side.

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