West Ham chairman David Sullivan confirmed Monday that the club has scrapped their pursuit of Belgium international Ilombe Mboyo after his arrest for his involvement in a gang-rape.

Angry fans have took to social media demanding the club forgo their bid, after it was discovered that Mboyo served three years of an eight-year sentence for his involvement in a gang-rape of a 14-year-old when he was 16-years-old.

Sullivan said: "I couldn't go against the supporters. We wanted their opinions and they seem to have said no.

"We didn't sign El Hadji Diouf when the supporters indicated he'd not be acceptable to the club. We will not proceed on this occasion either."

Belgian FA president Francois De Keermaeker had this to say about Mboyo's situation: "Once someone's time in the cells ends, they don't necessarily have to be lost to society.

"It's too easy to stigmatise. Mboyo could be an example for young people who go down the wrong path."

Last season Mboyo scored 20 goals and would have played on the right side of the attack should he have joined the Hammers, a position West Ham have been trying to fill for several weeks.

Mboyo was described by Manchester City as being "a rare pearl" after he came through Anderlecht's academy.

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