Kolkata, August 17: While attacking French midfielder Remy Cabella just joined Ligue 1 club Saint-Etienne permanently, the grapevine is that West Ham United was keen to bring back him to Premier League.
After spending almost one full season for Saint-Etienne as a loanee, Cabella finally left another Ligue 1 club Marseille to return permanently to The Greens.
Cabella is excited to be back in Saint-Etienne where he was in much demand during his previous tenure. In the last season, he impressed, scoring seven goals and assisting six more that helped the team finish seventh in Ligue 1.
"I am very happy to come back to Saint-Etienne. I was looking forward to this moment and finally feel liberated! Here I received a love that I cannot explain," Cabella told the club website.
"I can't wait to get started as No7. The No10 is my number of heart but it's a friend who wears it now and I'm very proud because he deserves it."
Cabella had plied his trade in the Premier League with Newcastle United before joining Marseille. However, his Newcastle tenure was a flop. He played a total of 34 games in the first season (2014/15) and scored only one goal.
In the next season (2015/16), the attacking midfielder was loaned to Marseille for the full season and he permanently shifted at the Ligue 1 club later.
Recently, media reports indicated that another Premier League club West Ham United were interested to sign him this summer as they believed that the Frenchman deserved to get another chance to prove himself in England.