Former West Ham loanee has a better strike rate than any of their current strikers.
Emmanuel Emenike signed for West Ham on loan in January, ending years of ‘will-he won’t-he’ transfer rumours over whether he would move to the Premier League.
After arriving in England, the Nigerian international failed to convincingly state his case.
To be more blunt, he flopped. Emenike’s return from five Premier League starts and eight substitute appearances was a paltry zero goals.
West Ham’s Emmanuel Emenike looks dejected
So he returned to Turkey in the summer, with West Ham deciding quite sensibly that he was not worth spending money on.
In the months that followed, the Hammers failed to sign any of their top transfer targets, while Emenike remained at Fenerbahce.
This season West Ham are still searching for their first league goal from a striker, while Emenike is having joy back in more familiar surroundings.
Fenerbahce’s Emmanuel Emenike
Emenike has seven goals in 15 games, including strikes in Champions League qualifiers and the Europa League group stages, while he also has four assists.
The lessons from this are two-fold. Perhaps Emenike is better than he showed at West Ham and deserved more time than he showed.
Had management showed greater faith and signed him permanently in the first place, they may have seen a more settled Emenike, who could have flourished after a pre-season and time to adjust to their squad; instead they backed themselves and the player into a corner with a try-before-you-buy loan.
The alternative takeaway is that just because some players cannot cut it in the Premier League, does not mean they are bad players.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic speaks with Simone Zaza
The struggling Simone Zaza is getting slated by pundits and fans alike and deservedly so for his below par performances this season, and while he is not the answer, in a different league, back home in Serie A, he will probably get back to looking like a half decent player again.
The real answer may simply be that West Ham focus more on buying players who are already adapted to English football, especially mid-season.
Whether this be a proven commodity like Jermain Defoe, or an ascending Championship talent like Britt Assombalonga, West Ham need instant improvement up front, and should look closer to home.
West Ham United’s Jonathan Calleri during training
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
