Lee Bowyer has completed his loan move from Leeds to struggling Premier League club, West Ham United.
Bowyer agreed personal terms with the Hammers and passed a medical on Tuesday. The move completes an eventful few hours for the midfielder; earlier today he was handed a six-match by UEFA following is stamp on Malaga midfielder Gerardo during a UEFA Cup tie in December.
Under the proposed deal, West Ham will pay Bowyer’s wages until the end of the season as well paying him a bonus of the club avoids relegation. Leeds will receive a nnominal transferfee now and a bonus if West Ham stay up.
Bowyer rejectd a £9m move to Liverpool in the summer and Leeds were keen to offload for any fee rather than lose him for nothing at the end of the season.
The move has already attracted criticism from anti-racism groups, angry that West Ham should sign a player with a questionable record on race relations.
Although he was cleared of involvement in the attack on Asian student Sarfraz Najeib, a civil action is still pending. Meanwhile, the victim’s family criticised West Ham’s approach to Bowyer, writing to the club to express their ‘disappointment and dismay’ at the decision to employ the player.
