West Ham United bought Enner Valencia to provide an added goal threat, but he has been offering much more than that this season.
Enner Valencia’s goalscoring ability brought him to the attention of West Ham United in the summer of 2014.
The highly-rated frontman was coming off the back of a prolific spell in Mexico and a productive showing at the World Cup finals.
He had also netted for Ecuador against England in a friendly contest prior to football’s global showpiece event.
Sam Allardyce and his scouting team liked what they saw, with the BBC reporting that the Hammers signed a £12 million cheque in order to secure his services.
The 25-year-old has offered a decent return on that investment and has shown himself to be more than just a goal-getter.
| Total Contest | Won Contest | Overrun | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enner Valencia | 64 | 28 | 5 | 20 | 1,138 |
| Stewart Downing | 39 | 17 | 3 | 22 | 1,963 |
| Alexandre Song | 38 | 26 | 0 | 16 | 1,291 |
| Diafra Sakho | 34 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 1,027 |
| Aaron Cresswell | 29 | 12 | 5 | 23 | 2,070 |
| Carl Jenkinson | 27 | 7 | 3 | 18 | 1,407 |
| Morgan Amalfitano | 26 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 876 |
The Opta statistics above help to highlight how Valencia has been impressing outside of the penalty area.
He is a proven marksman and has four goals to his name this season, including three in the Premier League, but he is prepared to play his part for the collective cause.
There is an unselfish side to his game, with the Ecuadorian not allowing himself to become bogged down in an endless pursuit of goals.
Instead, he is prepared to get on the ball and try to make things happen for those around him.
Valencia has taken on considerably more dribbles than any of his club colleagues this season, including key creative influences in midfield, and Manchester United will need to keep a close eye on that side of his game if they are to contain West Ham at Upton Park on Sunday.
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