West Ham will allow Manuel Lanzini to leave, having brought Lucas Paqueta to the club this summer.
That is according to reports circulating in recent days that raise questions over the Argentine’s long-term future at the London Stadium.
Lanzini arrived permanently in east London back in 2016 for £9m and has since made 210 appearances in claret and blue, scoring 30 goals and providing a further 27 assists.
Only four players scored more times in the Premier League than the 29-year-old last season (WhoScored), but with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign his days in Stratford could be numbered.
Football Insider have claimed that the Hammers told Lanzini that he was free to leave either on loan or permanently before the recent transfer deadline.
An exit never materialised but the source suggests that the club’s stance remains the same and he will be allowed to find a new club come January.
The report states that David Moyes doesn’t view the creative midfielder as a ‘key man anymore’.
With the £51m club-record arrival of Paqueta it is clear to see how Moyes would feel he no longer needed Lanzini.
The attacker started 19 times in the top-flight last season but only found himself in the starting XI for this season’s opener with Manchester City.
The £69k-per-week ace came off the bench in each of the following two league games but has been an unused substitute across their last three fixtures in the Premier League.
He returned to the starting line-up in the Europa Conference League, scoring in the 3-2 win against Silkeborg, and considering the volume of matches that the Hammers may have to contend with, keeping a hold of the five-cap Argentine ace might not be a bad idea.
Hailed as a ‘special, special player’ by teammate Declan Rice following a sumptuous goal against Crystal Palace last term, Lanzini would certainly have a part to play in some capacity as Paqueta settles in.
Furthermore, losing him for free next summer might not be that hard to stomach considering the small fee the club would likely receive in January, when he will be in the final six months of his contract, so it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for the midfielder.
