West Ham in talks to sell struggler to old club for potential €29m loss
West Ham could return Felipe Anderson to sender three years after signing him from Lazio, according to reports.
Anderson was a €38m signing for West Ham back in 2018, after making a name for himself with the Serie A side. The Brazil international spent five years playing for Lazio, where he scored 34 goals in 177 games. But he has been unable to replicate that form since moving to the Premier League.
Despite making a decent first impression with 10 goals from 40 games in his debut West Ham season, Anderson has since struggled. He only managed one goal from 28 appearances the following year, after which he left on loan.
Anderson was a Porto player for the 2020-21 campaign, but the move did not give him a new lease of life. He failed to score from just 10 appearances, prompting a return to the London Stadium this summer.
West Ham must now find a solution for the 28-year-old. Only one year remains on his contract and he is unlikely to force his way back into David Moyes’ plans.
But the club might have found a familiar buyer for Anderson: the exact same club they brought him in from.
According to Sky Sport Italia, negotiations are underway over a deal that could see West Ham send Anderson back to Lazio for a fraction of the price they paid for him.
Lazio have recently appointed Maurizio Sarri as their new head coach. His arrival will mark a significant transition of style, as they effectively did not use wingers in previous coach Simone Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 formation.
Former Chelsea boss Sarri still favours a 4-3-3, though, so needs to find wingers who will fit his plans. As such, Anderson could return to familiar surroundings.
The Rome-based side have met with Anderson’s entourage and have learned he would be willing to make the move. Now, West Ham must hold out for a deal that suits them.
The report claims Lazio are trying to pay just €9m for Anderson, significantly less than what West Ham gave them for him in 2018. But given his contractual situation, the Hammers may be forced to accept a fee in that region.
West Ham joint favourites for striker
As they prepare for a campaign that will involve European football, West Ham will also be focusing on signings of their own.
Not every big-money pursuit works out, as they have learned with Anderson. But they have made some shrewd moves in recent transfer windows and will be hoping to continue that trend.
The priority remains to find a new centre-forward after opting to wait to replace Sebastien Haller in January.
A number of names are in contention and one expert has claimed they are one of two parties very interested in one signing in particular…
READ MORE: West Ham joint favourites with Bundesliga club to secure Arsenal transfer
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