West Ham United ace Manuel Lanzini isn’t on the verge of leaving the Premier League giants for a second spell at River Plate, the club’s vice-president Jorge Brito has told Ole.
Why would anyone want to leave the London Stadium right now? Things have rarely looked better for a West Ham side that, in the space of 18 months or so, has gone from relegation struggler to Champions League challenger.
Some have even suggested, in the afterglow of last week’s 3-2 victory over Liverpool, that the prospect of Michail Antonio, Declan Rice and co ‘doing a Leicester’ can’t be ruled out.
One player who has cast doubt on his future in east London, however, is Lanzini. Speaking to ESPN in October, the long-serving Argentine admitted he would “love” to pull on the red and white of River Plate again at some point in his career.
“I think it will happen when the two parties agree it will happen,” Lanzini said, professing his undying love for the club he represented between 2010 and 2014.
According to Brito, however, there’s nothing in the pipeline just yet.
Manuel Lanzini isn’t leaving West Ham for River Plate – just yet
“No, no, no,” Brito said, leaving no-one in doubt about River’s stance.
“(Lanzini) is a player with incredible characteristics. He is even better than when he started (with River a decade ago) and he feels identified with River. But, as I always say, I am not the one who decides.
“No (we have not been in talks with Lanzini). And if we had, we would be very careful and we don’t like to make noise.
“I know sometimes we are boring leaders but we believe the talks that take place internally with the coaching staff and players or among ourselves should not be externalised (made public).
“We do not like to generate expectation.”
Brito did admit, however, that River Plate are always open to the idea of bringing former players back to the Monumental – as long as they are still at an age that would allow them to thrive in the fast-paced, physical nature of Argentinian football.
The implication, then, is clear. Lanzini won’t be returning for one last hurrah, dragging his aching limbs around the pitch when he’s 35 or 36.
If Lanzini really wants a second spell at River Plate, an agreement must be reached sooner rather than later.
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