Sam Allardyce scandal: West Ham deny any wrongdoing in the transfer of Enner Valencia
WEST HAM strongly deny any wrongdoing in the transfer of Enner Valencia.
The Hammers' £14million purchase of the winger two years ago has been dragged into murky allegations against England boss Sam Allardyce.
Allardyce claims Valencia was 'third party owned' when he joined West Ham from Mexican side Pachuca in July 2014.
Allardyce was secretly being filmed by undercover reporters from The Telegraph at the time.
Third party ownership is banned under FIFA rules brought in last year and was outlawed in England in 2008.
And Hammers joint-chairman David Sullivan said: "Valencia's economic rights were wholly owned by Pachuca when we bought him.
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"Sam is wrong. But he didn't know much about the actual transfer deal other than wanting the player.
"We have not broken any rules on third party ownership."
West Ham were fined a record £5.5million by the Premier League for signing striker Carlos Tevez and midfielder Javier Mascherano in 2006.
Both players' economic rights were part-owned by Media Sports Investment at the time.
Irregularities in their contracts led to the biggest financial punishment in English football history and a rule change at the highest level.
Valencia is currently on loan at West Ham's Premier League rivals Everton.
> Follow all the latest developments from the Sam Allardyce scandal HERE
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