West Ham's former £35m star's PlayStation obsession has seen his career take a nosedive

Premier League player who cost £35million 'addicted to PlayStation' It's not uncommon for a footballer's performance to dip due to addiction.

Over time, many players have succumbed to the lures of alcohol, gambling or other bad habits — but being hooked on the PlayStation is a very modern issue. However, that's the habit that's reportedly caused Gianluca Scamacca's value to drop at Atalanta.

Sport Witness mentioned a report by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which stated Scamacca — who once moved to West Ham in a deal worth £35million — is no longer the same player because of his gaming obsession. The report suggested Italy's Scamacca was like a «foreign body» in Atalanta's recent 1-1 draw with AC Milan, advising him to «change his tune» if he wants a top-level career.

The Hammers paid Serie A team Sassuolo an initial £30. 5m (plus £5m in bonuses) to sign Scamacca in the summer of 2022. However, he was sent back to Italy the following year as the east Londoners got back £22. 5m of their investment with another £4m in add-ons, reports The Daily Star.

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However, it seems unlikely West Ham will receive those additional bonus funds given Gian Piero Gasperini is said to be growing tired of the player's antics. Italy coach Luciano Spalletti has banned his international stars from playing video games, but it seems Scamacca has been willing to ignore those demands.

Looking back, it seems like David Moyes' team made the right call on Scamacca. The 25-year-old striker scored eight goals in 27 games for the Premier League club but had to sit out the end of the season due to knee surgery.

He started off well at Atalanta, scoring five goals in