Anfield coach told Crysencio Summerville to sign for West Ham United after Liverpool approach
Crysencio Summerville was partly convinced to join West Ham by Liverpool coach John Heitinga, according to The Athletic.
Roshane Thomas reported for the outlet’s website on 23 October that the Reds and Chelsea had both enquired at Leeds United over a deal for the 22-year-old winger before he made his £25million move to the London Stadium.
Summerville and his family wrote out a pros and cons list for his possible next move, with playing time a key consideration.
But as well as technical director Tim Steidten’s influence it was former assistant head coach to David Moyes, Heitinga, who joined Arne Slot’s staff at Anfield on 17 July, who convinced fellow Dutchman Summerville of the merits of signing for West Ham, with a deal confirmed on 3 August.
John Heitinga plays key role in West Ham transfer
On paper Heitinga surely gave his compatriot sound advice in the summer, considering how many wide options there are at Anfield and Stamford Bridge.
His conversation with Summerville may well have come before he joined the Liverpool staff, but how happy Slot would be to miss out partly thanks to one of his own coaches is another matter.
The Reds ultimately signed Federico Chiesa from Juventus but have clearly been doing fine without needing him much, as they sit top of the Premier League and are unbeaten in the Champions League.
At West Ham Summerville has yet to have much of an opportunity to follow up his award-winning campaign in the Championship with Leeds last term, as a struggling Julen Lopetegui operation continues to falter.
The new manager isn’t set to face an imminent sacking [Guardian, 21 October] but he is going to need to improve hugely in the coming weeks.
He may choose to turn to Summerville in a greater capacity, with the wide man having played less than two full games in the Premier League despite making seven appearances.
His only start came in the 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea on 21 September which really turned the heat up on Lopetegui, but with fellow new signing Luis Guilherme, another £25million winger [Sky Sports, 13 June], having only played four minutes and Mohammed Kudus out for multiple games after his red card against Tottenham, the time is surely now for Summerville.
In other West Ham news, Lopetegui is facing a job review within a couple of months which could see him leave.
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