Felipe Anderson Expected to Leave West Ham Regardless of Premier League Status
By Tom Gott
West Ham are expected to cut ties with winger Felipe Anderson this summer, regardless of whether they secure their Premier League safety or not.
The 27-year-old, whose £36m move to the club in 2018 made him West Ham's record signing at the time, has managed just one goal in 24 appearances this season, and his poor form has seen him fall down the pecking order.
That's hardly the ideal scenario for either the club or the player, and The Times report that West Ham are ready to put everyone out of their misery and find a buyer for the Brazilian once the summer transfer window opens.
His £80,000-a-week wages are seen as too high for a player who has struggled to impress, and there is hope that he would generate a significant sum of money which could be used to fund David Moyes' shopping spree this summer.
There has been interest in Anderson from overseas, with Napoli regularly spoken about as potential suitors. However, with Lille's Victor Osimhen expected to complete a big-money move to Stadio San Paolo, their interest may have faded.
Much was expected of Anderson when he joined from Lazio. His form was so impressive during his debut year - he bagged nine goals and four assists - that there were even reports suggesting Real Madrid saw him as an alternative to Eden Hazard.
This season, that form has evaporated. A combination of injuries and poor performances have restricted him to just 20 starts thus far, with Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals commanding spots ahead of him.
Moyes has urged West Ham officials to be more realistic in their ambitions. The Hammers have often spoken of their desire to compete for a Champions League spot, yet have regularly found themselves scrambling to avoid a relegation battle.
"Of all the things that I heard in lockdown the most interesting came from the Archbishop of York who said, ‘promise less and deliver more’,” Moyes said. “That has to be a little bit of West Ham. We cannot keep promising that we will finish in the high positions.”
The likes of Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard and Ross Barkley have all been linked with a move to the London Stadium, while there has also been reports linking West Ham with Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik. Obviously, rumours of a swap deal with Anderson are not far behind.