According to Wednesday’s print edition of Corriere dello Sport (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness), West Ham United are demanding a fee ‘near €50m’ for Felipe Anderson, who is a subject of interest from Napoli this summer. The same source has stated that the Brazilian wide player is the Italian club’s ‘golden dream’ so it is no surprise that the Hammers have put such a hefty price-tag on a player who they signed for a club-record fee of £36m back in the summer of 2018.
Anderson’s Dip In Form At The English Capital This Season
Anderson enjoyed a brilliant debut season at the London Stadium but has struggled to hit those same heights during this campaign so far. He has struggled to find consistency and has mostly been underwhelming for the East London outfit this season. Despite his lack of form, the Brasilia-born talent has netted one goal and provided five assists in 24 appearances for the Hammers this term in all competitions. His limited contributions helped West Ham stay away from the relegation zone before the Premier League season got postponed because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
The 27-year-old has averaged 1.0 shots, 1.1 key passes and 2.8 dribbles in every 90 minutes of league football this season which is simply not good enough for a winger of his proven track record and skillset (stats via whoscored). He has also miscued a lot of his passes as evidenced by his mediocre pass success rate of 78.6% in the English top-flight so far (stats via whoscored).
Anderson made his debut for the Brazilian national side when he came on as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Mexico in an exhibition match back in 2015. Since then, he has only made one appearance for his country’s senior team. Maybe a return to Italy this summer could enhance his chances of catching the eye of Brazil boss Tite ahead of next year’s Copa America.
What Does The South American Sensation Offer On The Field?
Anderson can use his quickness and trickery to deceive his marker out on the wide areas. He excels at making driving runs with the ball and cooking up some decent goal-scoring opportunities in the final third. However, the Brazilian needs to improve his end-product if he wants to break into the world-class bracket someday. The 27-year-old playmaker has often floated in and out of games which explains why he has been substituted so many times this season.
Can Moyes Afford To Let Anderson Leave This Summer?
Anderson has also been guilty of missing out on a few matches due to a back injury, so it makes sense for the player to seal a switch away from the Premier League, where he has struggled due to its physicality and high intensity. West Ham can also benefit from his sale if a club are willing to match their demands for the talented midfielder in this off-season. David Moyes can use the money generated from the Brazilian’s potential transfer to bring in a suitable replacement who can make an immediate impact at the London Stadium.
It is quite likely that Anderson’s market value will diminish significantly if the Hammers do not cash in on him this summer. The economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak will undoubtedly take a toll on the football world and restrict clubs from splurging big money on players in the future.
Plus, if Anderson experiences another disappointing season in English football next season, then it will reduce his market value even further. Therefore, Moyes cannot afford to take the risk of keeping an inconsistent player like him at the club, especially if Napoli decide to pay ‘near €50m’ for him in the coming months.
