So said Eggert Magnusson this morning after Charlton striker Darren Bent rejected a £16m move to West Ham United.
Magnusson, talking on whufc.com revealed that he had been hugely frustrated by the collapse of what would have been a club record deal.""We were so close to signing Darren and thought everything was in place to conclude what would have been the biggest transfer in West Ham United's history," he said.
"I was really looking forward to making an announcement to our fans as we continue with our plans to take this club forward.
"The deal we put in place seemed to work for everybody concerned. Throughout the negotiations all the signs were positive. Therefore I was surprised when I learned that Darren had decided not to join us.
"I feel let down and disappointed. But it is time to move on."
The United Chairman also poured scorn on a number of newspaper reports suggesting that the club were prepared to pay 'Chelsea-style' wages in order to attract their targets.
"This is a great football Club which will be run on sensible business lines to build a secure, long-term future," he added. "That includes our policy on players wages, set at a ceiling of £55,000 a week.
"Despite figures being circulated, no player at West Ham United earns more than that at present."
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