Nuno Espirito Santo tipped to offload West Ham player Graham Potter thought was ‘amazing’
West Ham could temporarily offload a player Graham Potter was a big fan of in January.
Nuno Espirito Santo could move to offload a player Graham Potter was a big fan of in the January transfer window. The Hammers are off to a mixed start under their new boss, but little was expected in his early days due to the difficulty of his first two fixtures.
The Hammers picked up a point at Everton then lost away to Arsenal, and in truth, one point from those two games is probably a good return based on what the Iron served up during their first five games of the campaign, games that saw Potter lose his job.
Santo will still be getting his feet under the table, assessing his squad as he drafts together his best starting XI and which players he is planning to use the most over the coming weeks and months until the January transfer window.
Naturally, Santo will see the squad differently to Potter based on his very different style of play, and some players won’t fit into his plans. One player who could be expended, at least for now, is talented youngster Oliver Scarles, who broke through under Potter last season.
The 19-year-old has racked up 15 league appearances for the Iron first team, but former West Ham midfielder Martin Allen believes the youngster will not be in Santo’s immediate plan, opening the way for a loan move in January.
Speaking to West Ham Zone, Allen said: “There is potential for a loan move away. West Ham do need 18 or 20 players in their squad, and he is still young.
He is a good player, and I’m sure he’ll play in all the cup games, but I’m not sure right now if he’s at the level that Diouf is. Nuno would like to send him out on loan; it’ll be good for his career to play in the Championship. Hopefully, he’ll do very well.“
Potter on Scarles and his potential
After Scarles proved himself competent last season, even in his youth, Potter said of the youngster: “I need more than a word. Amazing. That’s some performance.
“He’s been really, really good since we’ve come in. It’s a big thank-you to the academy, because that type of player is [rare]. And person as well – he’s a really good character. Obviously I’m saying a lot now but I need to calm it down because he’s still young and has a lot to do. But he’s got the temperament to be really […] There’s a lot to look forward to.”
The youngster surely has a future with the Hammers, but few could blame Santo for prioritising experience and seniority at a time when his remit is to keep the team out of trouble. Unfortunately for Scarles, sometimes the stakes are just too high to allow youngster to play and develop, with making mistakes an important part of that development process. The hope for the youngster will be that, if he is not part of the plans, that he can secure a loan move and continue his learning elsewhere on a temporary basis.
Your next West Ham read, ‘Contact Made’: West Ham look to loan ‘spectacular’ Real Madrid star
