The Argentine has impressed at West Ham United but will he truly excel once his famous teammate moves on?
Manuel Lanzini quickly became a fan favourite at West Ham United. However the 23-year-old may have to wait for a big-name departure before he can fully take the London Stadium by storm.
The prospect of Lanzini and Dimitri Payet in the same starting line-up is a tantalising one, but it has not helped the Hammers surge up the table as expected, with both players performing below their best.
Payet is guiltier of that than Lanzini, yet one wonders if the Argentine is the heir apparent to the French international, rather than his perfect partner.
At just 23, Lanzini has years ahead of him and is still some way from reaching his peak, while Payet is approaching his 30th birthday and may have already put in his best shift for the Hammers.
If that is the case, it will be no surprise to see him move on next summer if not before, and if that happens West Ham fans need not worry.
Payet’s departure could be the making of Lanzini, allowing him the freedom to finally dictate games and act as the main creative force rather than playing second fiddle.
Too many creative players can negate each other and it will be interesting to see how the mercurial Argentine fares when he is finally given star billing at West Ham.
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