West Ham are apparently making a lot of waves in the transfer market as the window begins to creep open. New player links suggest that a fan-favorite could be on his way out, however, if his funds are reinvested wisely, a deal would be massively transformative.
The player whose name becomes a massive question mark is Manuel Lanzini. The Argentinian attacking midfielder has quickly become expendable in the minds of many West Ham supporters who have been enticed by the fast-paced rumors linking the Hammers to Pablo Fornals.
The Villareal forward is rumored to be valued at £25m but with the need existing for defensive midfielders, the link is a bit unusual if not ominous.
This link is interesting considering news has come out regarding Lanzini being unhappy with his two-year contract extension wage that reportedly kicks in automatically. West Ham have offered him an extension that massively increases his wages, but does he deserve more than the approximate wage of £75k a week?
With Lanzini’s future at the club uncertain (form an outsider’s perspective) this immediate and quick turn to Fornals seems like Husillos and Pellegrini were given the green light to find a replacement for him after approval to sell.
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If the funds can be reinvested wisely, then moving on from Lanzini is a no-brainer. While technically gifted, Lanzini is not only coming off of a massive knee injury, he’s also very streaky. On his day he is a puppeteer and force in the attacking midfield but those days have grown increasingly rare.
As mentioned, the need for a defensive midfielder to play alongside Rice and/or be a bench option is a more pressing priority. Should Lanzini be sold the funds could be directly transferred to Marseille for Morgan Sanson, another expensive midfield target/link for the hammers.
With Sanson becoming available as a defensive midfield option from the strapped-for-cash team Marseille, Sanson comes with a European pedigree, extensive playing experience, and is just 24-years old. A double swing for Fornals and Sanson off of the back of a Lanzini sale could be massive for Pellegrini and his transformation of West Ham.