BBC journalist: West Ham winger Felipe Anderson on verge of completing move to Lazio
West Ham winger Felipe Anderson is on the verge of sealing a move to Italian giants Lazio, according to BBC journalist Simon Stone.
Writing on his personal Twitter profile after West Ham drew 2-2 at Scottish side Dundee on Friday afternoon, Stone claimed a deal was imminent.
Stone said: “Felipe Anderson only outfield player not to get on in West Ham draw at Dundee earlier. Move to Lazio close to completion.”
What could’ve been
Events started so promisingly for the Brazilian in east London after he arrived from Lazio in 2018, but everything appeared to unravel in his second campaign at the club.
It was the classic case of ‘second-season syndrome’ as a player who looked so at home in the Premier League quickly found himself a marked man.
Even though he was playing at a world-famous club like Lazio, perhaps defenders in the English top-flight were not completely aware of his talents due to not seeing him at close quarters.
That allowed Anderson to record a superb first season where he struck nine Premier League goals, but he posted a meagre tally of one the following campaign as the league got to grips with him.
He’s now set to leave, and one out of the door tends to mean one will come the other way in order to replace the departed player.
However, the harsh reality is that Anderson has not been in Moyes’ plans for a long time now, and there are plenty of options still remaining at the London Stadium.
A deal for loan star Jesse Lingard will surely still be pursued, but the Irons are well-stocked in the attacking midfield and wing areas with the likes of Jarred Bowen, Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals impressing last season.
Therefore, fans shouldn’t expect an imminent Anderson replacement, as his days at West Ham have long been numbered.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are close to signing this 2018 World Cup winner, a loan to buy could be done within days.
Be sure to follow West Ham Zone on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on the Hammers and more exclusive interviews with Frank McAvennie.