‘Crazy’ – Crysencio Summerville reveals Nuno Espirito Santo relationship behind West Ham rise
Crysencio Summerville has credited his relationship with Nuno Espirito Santo for his West Ham rise.
Signed in a £25million plus add-ons deal from Leeds United in the summer of 2024, Summerville had proven he was a level above Championship football with the Whites.
21 goals and 10 assists in 49 total appearances for Leeds in 2023-24 saw him named the Championship’s Player of the Year that term, and joined West Ham with big expectations as such.
However, just one goal and two assists from 22 appearances in all competitions during his debut season at the London Stadium saw him underwhelm, and had Hammers fans questioning whether the Premier League was a step too far for him.
What Crysencio Summerville said about Nuno Espirito Santo
But, despite West Ham’s struggles in the top flight this season, Summerville has blossomed into one of the Hammers’ key players.
Six goals and two assists in 24 total appearances has seen him take significant strides in 2025-26, and in particular in this calendar year so far, with six goals and one assist in 2026.
The Dutchman is flying at the moment, and will no doubt have his sights set on breaking into Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands team for the World Cup this summer.
Summerville isn’t taking all the credit for his rise to West Ham stardom this season, and in fact, is putting a lot of that down to his manager, Nuno.
Speaking in a BBC Match of the Day interview ahead of the Hammers’ clash with Liverpool on Saturday, Summerville revealed he has a “crazy” relationship with Nuno, but in a good way.
“I think, when we’re working it’s like he (Nuno) gets something out of me, I don’t know, it’s crazy,” said Summerville.
“I want to be better every day, one per cent every day, and I think you can see it in the games.
“I’m trying to improve, I’m trying to be consistent as well. I think that’s the most important thing, and yeah, I think he’s helped me a lot to improve in this aspect.”
Summerville reveals message behind Nuno celebration vs Spurs
Even as he’s now one of the first names on the West Ham teamsheet, Summerville hasn’t been firing on all cylinders throughout the season.
Indeed, his first league goal this term didn’t come until the 2-1 win against Tottenham on 17 January this year, and Summerville ran to Nuno and embraced him during his goal celebration.
It was evidently a poignant moment for both him and Nuno, and speaking in that same BBC Match of the Day interview, Summerville has now revealed what the meaning behind it was.
“I don’t know how to explain it to you, but more like, ‘coach, I got you’,” Summerville continued.
“And it was also the first goal in the Premier League for me, so it was a relief like, you read things, you see things, people they doubt you.
“For me, I like that, because I know what I’m capable of. So if people doubt you, you just have to show them, and it was more like to the coach, ‘I got you and we are in this together. We will fight to the end’.”
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