According to a recent report by Football.London, West Ham United allowed Javier Hernandez to leave earlier this summer as they had thought that Xande Silva would be able to fill in the Mexican striker’s shoes at the London Stadium.
Xande Silva Faces An Uncertain Future At West Ham
Manuel Pellegrini was expecting the Portuguese sensation to make more of an impact this season. However, he had to undergo an emergency bowel operation earlier this summer and has since dedicated his life to making a successful return to the field.
Silva will be desperate to break out as a first-team starter at the English capital, but it won’t be easy as Pellegrini has got some talented attacking players in his squad. The likes of Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko won’t give up their starting spots too easily without a proper fight.
The departure of Hernandez and the injury to Michail Antonio has left a big hole in the Hammers attack up top. Sebastien Haller has done remarkably well to carry the workload of leading the line for Pellegrini’s team over the past few months. However, West Ham would need to hand their summer signing some rest in the coming weeks when the fixtures come thick and fast in the Premier League.
Hence, Silva will be expected to step up in the absence of Haller. This could be the Portuguese starlet’s make or break campaign so he will need to be at his best when he makes a complete recovery from his serious bowel condition.
What Are The Portuguese Prospect’s Strengths And Weaknesses?
Silva is a mobile wide player who can make some dangerous runs out on the wide areas. He is not afraid to take his marker on and beat him off the dribble to wreak havoc in the final third. However, his game has still got a lot of room for improvement, so it is unlikely that he will be able to secure a regular starting berth at the London Stadium this season.
Did The Hammers Make The Correct Call By Giving Up Hernandez To Promote Silva?
With time, the Portuguese whizkid could become a world-class player in his position but for now, it seems like Pellegrini made the wrong call when he allowed Hernandez to leave without bringing in a suitable replacement. Silva’s condition has made his future at West Ham quite uncertain and so only time will tell whether he would be able to hit the ground running upon his return to first-team action.
