da pinnacle： There has been perhaps no bigger Premier League beneficiary of the loan system in recent years than West Ham.
da bet sport： Starting with Henri Lansbury and ending with Alex Song – with the likes of Andy Carroll, Carl Jenkinson and Roger Johnson somewhere in between – former manager Sam Allardyce constantly strengthened the Hammers’ squad with temporary deals throughout his Upton Park tenure.
Of course, it’s a fantastically cheap way to boost your team without taking on unnecessary risks. So logic suggests even Allardyce’s successor, Slaven Bilic, will be running the rule over the loan market this summer. In fact, it’s looking like the Irons have already grabbed Jenkinson for another term-long stay.
So being the ever-helpful bunch we are at Football FanCast, we’ve decided to list FIVE more lads West Ham might be able to borrow for the 2015/16 campaign.
Some are ageing pros needing a new lease of life, others are young bucks trying to make a name for themselves and a few could do with simply a brief change of scene, but all are inspired loan signings the Hammers should attempt this summer.
VICTOR MOSES
West Ham are a little short in the out-and-out winger department, so regular Chelsea loanster Victor Moses would address an immediate gap in their squad.
The Nigerian international’s intrinsic weakness has always been output, netting just 43 times in 261 career appearances throughout his spells with Crystal Palace, Wigan, Chelsea, Liverpool, Stoke City and the Super Eagles.
But blessed with great power, strength and dribbling ability, the 24 year-old’s contribution to build up play can be phenomenal; on loan with the Potters last season, he averaged 2.2 shots, 1.7 created chances and 3.3 successful dribbles per match.
Moses’ dynamic and direct style suits the Hammers’ philosophy from the last few seasons and he’s unlikely to reclaim a place in the Blues’ first-team squad under Jose Mourinho, so another loan move this summer seems more than likely.
Moses is reluctant to return to the Britannia but he will undoubtedly be tempted by the opportunity to remain in London with the Hammers, having grown up Croydon.
ADRIEN RABIOT
Adrien Rabiot is amongst the most promising young midfielders in Europe but his progress has been stifled by a lack of regular first-team action at PSG.
Indeed, the Frenchman is famed for his gangly 6ft. 2″ frame, mixed range passing game and occasional goals, boasting six in 52 outings for the Parisians, but is yet to truly claim a place in their starting line-up over the likes of Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi.
Consequentially, the 20-year-old’s agent (and mother) has already requested a departure from Parc de Princes this summer, so a cooling off period in the form of a year-long loan at Upton Park might ease tensions for all involved.
There’s plenty of interest in acquiring Rabiot permanently, however, with AC Milan, Arsenal and Spurs all linked.
RICKIE LAMBERT
Rickie Lambert may have just come to the end of a disturbingly poor season at Liverpool, netting just twice in 25 Premier League appearances – albeit predominantly featuring from the bench – but let’s not forget how formidable a force the England international was at Southampton.
Indeed, he claimed 28 goals and 15 assists in 75 Premier League appearances for the Saints, firing them to consecutive mid-table finishes and muscling his way into Roy Hodgson’s plans.
At 33 years of age, many will deem the former Bristol Rovers man a spent force. But the 6ft. 2″ striker still has the height and power to be effective in the Premier League, whilst his chance creation at St. Mary’s was second to none.
Brendan Rodgers certainly has more pressing matters than Lambert’s future to resolve this summer. But with his ‘dream’ Anfield move turning into a complete nightmare, the Reds gaffer may be prepared to sanction a loan deal for next season.
JULIAN GREEN
There was quite the hype surrounding Julian Green last summer as he took Landon Donovan’s place in the USA’s World Cup squad to become the youngest goalscorer in the tournament’s history since Lionel Messi in 2006, but he’s never really got the chance to show off his potential at club level.
The 20-year-old is certainly highly rated at Bayern Munich – he netted 15 times in 23 appearances for their second string during the 2013/14 campaign – But he’s yet to make a league debut for the Allianz Arena outfit and managed just a handful of substitute appearances on loan at Hamburg last term.
The winger-forward’s lack of experience at senior level is admittedly a little off-putting. Considered a future world star by both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klinsmann, however, he’s well worth the punt on a year-long loan.
Should luck favour the east Londoners, they might be fortunate enough to catch Green just as he begins to come good on his much heralded ability.
MUNIR EL HADDADI
Another prodigious youngster with a point to prove; winger Munir El Haddadi has been billed as the next world beater to emerge from Barcelona’s renowned La Masia set-up.
He impressed in a cameo role at the start of last season, netting once in 10 La Liga appearances and showing enough promise to earn a debut outing for the Spanish national team.
But the 19-year-old’s involvement in senior affairs ground to a halt as soon as Luis Suarez’s biting ban from the World Cup had come to an end, with his final outing coming in January.
No doubt, however, El Haddadi has the pace, trickery and netting prowess to be a real threat in the Premier League, in a similar manner to former Barca team-mate Gerard Deulofeu who once tore English defences apart for Everton.
To stand any chance of usurping Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez or Neymar from the Barca starting XI, he needs to be demonstrating his quality on a weekly basis at the highest level possible – so a loan move this summer seems likely.