West Ham United have had a pretty miserable time of it lately, having failed to win any of their last 7 games in all competitions.The last thing that would be needed for morale around London Stadium is the revelation that they nearly stole a wonderkid from one of European football's biggest giants.[ad_pod ]Well, funnily enough, that is exactly what has happened as it has been revealed by Bleacher Report that during the summer, Ansu Fati didn't see a route into the Barcelona first-team and was a passport issue away from signing for the Hammers:

The report even suggested that a deal had been struck up with the 17-year-old's family, which has led to many West Ham fans feeling that this type of story is typical of their club.

That sense is only strengthened by the fact he has since gone on to make 4 starts and 6 substitute appearances for the Catalans across the Champions League and La Liga, getting 2 goals and an assist.

His performances from this short period even earned him a nomination for the Golden Boy award.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the revelation, including posts from despondent West Ham fans, can be seen below: