According to Guardian, West Ham United are ready to offload Roberto in the upcoming January transfer window. They are reportedly fed up of the Spaniard’s poor performances this season and are willing to ship him out on loan, with Turkey being a potential destination. But, is it the right decision from the board?
Roberto’s struggles at West Ham
Roberto initially arrived at West Ham United as a second fiddle to Lukasz Fabianski. He replaced Adrian, who, in turn, sealed a dream move to Liverpool as a deputy for Alisson Becker. The West Ham fans were rather happy with the arrival of the Spaniard, at first.
When Fabianski got injured against Bournemouth earlier in the campaign, the onus was on Roberto to replace the Pole throughout the first half of the season. But, he never really managed to make an impression after serving as a deputy for Fabianski.
The Spaniard made a host of unforced errors and soon turned into a defensive liability for West Ham. Roberto has conceded 15 goals from seven matches this season, with the Hammers remaining winless in all of those seven matches.
The emergence of David Martin
A confessed West Ham fan, David Martin enjoyed a dream Premier League debut against Chelsea at the end of last month. The veteran goalkeeper retained a clean sheet in his first game, helping the Hammers secure a shocking win over the Blues.
Martin has since become West Ham’s desired number two, with Roberto moving down the pecking order. Although he conceded two goals against Wolves in midweek, he did make a host of excellent saves and prevented his side from conceding more.
It was a performance good enough to make him the ideal Fabinski alternatives for West Ham. Hence, the departure of Roberto certainly makes sense.
Fabianski nearing his return
Speaking of Fabianski, the Pole is swiftly recovering from the hip injury that already kept him out on the sidelines for more than three months. He will be out for the rest of December but is expected to make his return after the turn of the year.
Fabianski’s return to fitness would serve as a huge blessing for Manuel Pellegrini. But most importantly, it would allow them not to appear overreliant on their second fiddle ‘keeper. And with the January transfer window just around the corner, it is perhaps the best option for the Hammers to offload Roberto and sign a replacement.
