Frank McAvennie expects Nikola Vlasic to leave West Ham United and be a ‘star’ elsewhere
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Nikola Vlasic will leave West Ham rather than continue to sit on the bench because he is “too good to hang about” says Frank McAvennie.
The Croatian arrived before the season for an original €30million with big expectations, but struggled to establish himself in David Moyes’ side despite there being a thin squad overall.
While he made 31 appearances in all competitions he only completed a full 90 minutes once, in the final Europa League group game where academy talents also got a run out, and ex-Hammers striker McAvennie feels that he hasn’t had a real chance at the club so will soon be off.
Speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone he said: “He’s a great player but he’s come in, he’s not hit the ground running, he’s not done it.
“But if he goes somewhere else he’ll be the star that he’s supposed to be.
“He’s just not got enough game time at West Ham, and I think he’s too good to hang about the bench.
“If he’s any player that’s worth his salt he wants to play and he’ll not be hanging about.
“He’ll not be a bit part player, I think he’s just too good for that.
“He just hasn’t had the chance here, that’s the only problem.”
Vlasic probably suffered from the fact that for all the squad was lacking in other areas, attacking midfielders were something they have in relative abundance.
The outstanding form of Jarrod Bowen made it next to impossible to dislodge him from the team, and a combination of Pablo Fornals, Manuel Lanzini and Saed Benrahma would tend to fill the other spots.
Questions might legitimately be asked as to why significant money was spent on the ex-CSKA Moscow player if he wasn’t going to be used, and yet they went through a whole season with one centre-forward, and if he does move on without making much of an impression it will have to go down as a waste all round.
In other West Ham news, the club are interested a teenage talent expected to follow in sensational siblings footsteps.
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