Why Felipe Anderson moving out on loan is ideal for all parties
Felipe Anderson has moved to FC Porto on a season-long loan from West Ham (source – BBC Sport). While the window for Premier League clubs to sign players closed on 5th October, it is different in Portugal, with the window set to close later in the month.
Profile
Felipe Anderson is a 27-year-old Brazilian forward who plays for FC Porto on loan from West Ham. He started his professional youth career at Santos in 2007. After spending 3 years in the youth setup, he was promoted to the senior team in 2010.
After 3 seasons in Brazil, Anderson moved to Europe with Lazio. It was at Lazio that he started gaining exposure. In 177 appearances for the Italian side, he scored 34 goals and assisted 39 (source – Transfermarkt).
West Ham signed him in 2018 after a stellar last season with Lazio. Anderson impressed everyone with his performances in his first season. However, he started featuring lesser the following season.
The Brazilian did have decent stats for the Hammers, with 12 goals and assists each, in 72 games. He also has a solitary appearance for the national team and was a part of their youth teams before that.
A loan deal to Porto was best for everyone
Felipe Anderson’s game time reduced drastically in his second season when compared to the first. At 27, Anderson needs to be playing on a regular basis. He is at the prime of his abilities. Clearly, David Moyes feels like the player has run out of steam in recent months.
West Ham have the likes of Robert Snodgrass, Andriy Yarmolenko and Jarrod Bowen to take care of the duties on the flanks. Add to that Anderson’s performances over the last couple of months and you know why the club felt the right thing for him was to move on.
Verdict
The Brazilian came to West Ham with a lot of expectations. Hopes were high that he could take the club to greater heights. It’s not to say Anderson has been bad but the good performances have been very few and far in between.
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A move to Porto will take some of the pressure off him, as often is the case with Premier League players. West Ham can evaluate the situation after a year and decide on the next best course of action.
