In a recent report, Calciomercato mentioned that West Ham United could move in for on-loan Aston Villa playmaker Nicolo Zaniolo, who is set to return to his parent club Galatasaray this summer. It has been claimed that the Hammers have ‘excellent’ relations with the representatives of the Italian attacker.
Zaniolo’s Lackluster Loan Spell At Aston Villa
Zaniolo is having a tough loan spell at the West Midlands club as he has struggled to secure a regular starting spot in Unai Emery’s first team. The Italian talent has featured in 31 matches for the Villans, scoring just three goals in the process across all fronts.
The 24-year-old has made most of his appearances as a substitute but has done well to average 1.1 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League. However, he has lacked quality when distributing the ball in the opponent’s half based on his pass success rate of 70.4% in the Italian top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at his parent club Galatasaray will expire in the summer of 2027 which would make it difficult for West Ham to sign him on the cheap later this year.
Should West Ham United Boss David Moyes Recruit Zaniolo?
Zaniolo can orchestrate a yard of space for himself to get some strikes in at goal. He has got the eye to play a decisive pass in the final third and can make a few energetic runs with the ball in and around the opponent’s penalty area. However, the Italian sensation has to find a way to improve his passing accuracy and be more consistent in front of the opposition goal.
Zaniolo mainly operates as an attacking midfielder but can also play as a box-to-box midfielder or as a right-winger if needed. He is good enough to increase competition for places within West Ham head coach David Moyes’ match-day squad.
At 24, Zaniolo has his best years ahead of him which makes him a worthy target for the Hammers to pursue this summer. He is far from a finished product but could benefit from earning a regular run of games at the London Stadium next season. All in all, the East London outfit should think about going all out to recruit Zaniolo in the summer transfer window.
