Argentine starlet Manuel “The Jewel” Lanzini has completed a season-long move to West Ham United. Now 22, the attacking midfielder emerged from River Plate’s youth academy before joining current owners Al Jazira for £5.25 million in August 2014.
#فخر_أبوظبي يوافق على إعارة اللاعب لانزيني لنادي ويست هام الإنجليزي. pic.twitter.com/RNwBMe4psi
— نادي الجزيرة (@aljazirafc) July 21, 2015
Comfortable at the tip of the diamond or on either wing, the right-footer scored 8 goals in 24 appearances for the Abu Dhabi club, who finished second in last year’s UAE Arabian Gulf League.
MORE: Check out our exclusive interview with Sports Editor of the Mirror Ed Malyon on latest signing Manuel Lanzini.
The History
Breaking into the River Plate first team in July 2010, Lanzini made a handful of appearances from the bench in the Argentine Primera Division.
Having impressed in his short first-team stint, the 2011 summer transfer window saw “La Joya” undergo a temporary move to Brazilian side Fluminense for a reported loan fee of £207,000. His subsequent 28 appearances in Série A saw the youngster collect 3 goals and assist 2 others.
Upon his return, Lanzini’s following two seasons at River Plate were accompanied by an impressive 13 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances. These performances were rewarded with 5 appearances and 2 goals for the Argentine U20 squad, though he is also eligible to play for Italy through dual-citizenship.
What to Expect
As demonstrated in this highlight video below, Lanzini is already a technically gifted and highly creative player. Extremely direct, he is known for his tendency to dribble around the defence and is just as capable finishing as he is assisting. Though playing primarily as an attacking midfielder, Lanzini also has a good deal of experience playing on the left wing. Naturally right-footed, there is a strong tendency to cut inside and he poses a significant threat in the box.
With the recent signing of Dimitri Payet, it is unlikely that Lanzini would be first-choice in an attacking midfield role. However, the rumoured departure of winger Stewart Downing could leave West Ham short of options out wide, a position in which Lanzini is more than comfortable. With Matt Jarvis and Enner Valencia the alternatives, there is a possibility that we will see the Argentine feature in a wide role for the club.
Although “The Jewel” is very likely a rotation option rather than a guaranteed starter, Lanzini is an exciting prospect that has already impressed in three different leagues. With games coming thick and fast, this move is an opportunity for Lanzini to build upon his already impressive reputation and possibly secure a permanent place at a larger club. It will also be interesting to see whether there is any chemistry with fellow countryman Mauro Zarate, who has recently returned to the side following an unsuccessful loan-spell with Queens Park Rangers.
