Manuel Pellegrini has promised that Felipe Anderson will bring an exciting new dimension to West Ham’s attack after securing a club record deal for the Brazilian playmaker. The Hammers splashed out an initial £36 million to capture the coveted forward, and it could rise to £47 million with add-ons. It caps an ambitious summer spending spree from West Ham’s hierarchy and excitement now abounds among the Hammers faithful. Anderson had long been linked with a move to Man Utd, and his signing represents a real coup for a club that finally seems to be going places.
“We believe we have signed one of the most exciting talents in European football,” said West Ham director of football Mario Husillos. “This is a very big statement.” New manager Pellegrini added: “Felipe has a very natural and skilful ability, in the traditional style of Brazilian football, but has proven that he also has the strength and mentality to play at the top level in European football. We feel he will bring a new dimension to the squad, but also complement the attacking players we already have.”
Anderson was born in 1993 in a town called Santa Maria, nestled in the central plateau of the Brazilian Highlands. He began playing for local team Associação 14 Companhia de Polícia Militar Independente at the age of six. He moved clubs four times between 2006-2007, before eventually ending up in the youth ranks at Brazilian powerhouse Santos, aged 14. Three years later he made his first-team debut as a substitute in a 3-0 victory over Fluminense. He scored his first senior goal in February 2011, banging in a long-range effort against Noroeste. Anderson developed quickly that year and earned a long-term contract keeping him at the club until 2016.
He earned his first piece of silverware aged 17, as Santos lifted the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the Champions League. By 2012 he was a first team regular, lining up alongside Neymar and Elano in a phenomenally talented attack. He developed a reputation as a technically gifted and graceful attacking midfielder, blessed with great pace, quick feet, intelligent movement, strong ball control, dazzling dribbling skills and a great eye for a pass. He developed a strong understanding with Neymar and together they fired Santos to Recopa Sudamericana glory. In total he made 61 league appearances for Santos and scored nine times.
Anderson earned a £6.5 million move to Italian outfit Lazio in 2013, aged 20, and he proceeded to take Serie A by storm. He instantly lit up the league with his dribbling ability, and pundits noted that his flair and skill on the ball made him a terrific asset for Lazio going forward. In his second season he scored 10 goals and provided nine assists as the team finished third in the table and runners-up in Coppa Italia. That earned him the number 10 jersey for the 2015/16 campaign and he celebrated by blazing a trail of destruction across Serie A. By the start of 2016, he was playing so well that Man Utd were desperate for his signature, but Lazio publicly declared he was going nowhere.
In total he played more than 170 times for Lazio, scoring 33 goals, providing plenty of assists and securing a Supercoppa Italiana winner’s medal. His mazy runs became a hallmark of Lazio’s play and he operated brilliantly behind Ciro Immobile in the trequarista role. When given free rein to drift all over the pitch and attack different areas, he can wreak havoc. He is quick and incisive, which makes him dangerous on the break, and it also allows him to win plenty of penalties and free-kicks. He is decent in front of goal and he has a fierce long-range strike, so he really should provide an intriguing dimension to West Ham’s attack.
Lazio’s fans were desperately sad to see him go, but their loss is the Hammers’ gain. “West Ham is a club with a lot of tradition, lots of great players have played here, like Bobby Moore, Carlos Tevez and Paolo Di Canio,” he said. “They were great players and idols here, and I’m aiming big, who knows, maybe I could hit their heights and be a legend here too.” He certainly has the raw talent to pull it off, and he will be lining up alongside the likes of Jack Wilshere and Andriy Yarmolenko in an exciting new team. He has the ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and drag his team to victory, the individual brilliance to unlock a tight defence and the pace to thrive in the cut and thrust of the Premier League.
The latest lines at SportingIndex.com show that West Ham are outsiders in the race to secure a top eight finish in the league next season, but Anderson’s arrival could be a game changer for the club. The Brazilian could play in the hole behind Yarmolenko and Marko Arnautovic, as a secondary striker or out on the wing, but wherever he operates he will be dangerous and fans are understandably optimistic about his future at the club.
