Julen Lopetegui’s ‘player departures’ decisions during the summer transfer window look a bit – well – suspect- if you ask me. Nobody could argue with trying to ease perennial bench sitter Maxi Cornet out of the club. But other West Ham loans look less sensible when viewed with 20/20 hindsight, especially in view of the turgid first four months of Premier League action following their departure. There is certainly an argument for bringing one or more of them back to London Stadium.
Nayef Aguerd was virtually elbowed out on deadline day. For whatever reason, the 27 year old Moroccan”s face didn’t fit and he was due dispatched to Real Sociedad on a season-long loan. This has proved such a success that the Spanish side talk of trying to sign him permanently.
This still seems a loan made with scant regard of the squad situation at West Ham – no replacement was brought in despite Lopetegui’s stated aim of having two players for each position and the first half of the season has been played with just three centre backs.
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How we could also use George Earthy now: another youngster rushed out of the back door on a season-long loan along with Freddie Potts, both of whom could provide better service just now than some of the slow, sluggish un-impressive imported signings from August.
Another loan deal which now looks dubious is the James Ward-Prowse ‘eviction’: Only brought to the club 12 months earlier, Ward-Prowse’s statistics alone show his value at West Ham: Lopetegui booted him out to bring in Carlos Soler on deadline day and in hindsight, the assists and goals that Ward-Prowse generated in his one year are now sadly missed.
I was never his greatest fan but look at the stats: One assist every four games, 2 key passes each game, seven goals and eleven assists in total look favourable when compared with Soler or Rodriguez right now.
Would West Ham welcome him back? I’d certainly see him back in the squad instead of Rodriguez who seems to be a busted flush on all fronts. At least we’d be a threat from corners again.
Whether his loan spell can be broken I have no idea – but if Rodriguez departs I’d be straight in the phone to Nottingham Forest pleading for his return: Better the devil you know.