Crysencio Summerville needs to ‘knock on the door a bit more emphatically’ at West Ham United so he can start justifying the price paid for him.
That’s according to Cedric van der Gun via Voetbal Primeur, who believes the Dutchman may be struggling physically with the step up to the Premier League.
Summerville arrived at West Ham in a €29.3m deal from Leeds United in the summer transfer window after establishing himself as the best player in the Championship last season.
He was part of a major summer rebuild by the Hammers, who splashed the cash strengthening their squad with talent for new manager Julen Lopetegui.
However, the Dutchman is yet to really get going at the London Stadium, with just one goal and one assists in 18 Premier League games so far and only 40% of the available minutes played. He’s also only been in West Ham’s starting 11 for 32% of the time so far.
Those are low numbers given the money West Ham paid for him in the summer and the expectation that the 23-year-old would immediately be a first-team regular.
Van der Gun has certainly been disappointed by what he’s seen so far and believes there may be physical issues holding the forward back.
“He was brought in for a considerable amount, but that applies to several players there”, he told Viaplay.
“Füllkrug, for example. He actually disappoints me more than Summerville. The only thing I think of Summerville is that I have the idea that he is also struggling physically. In the Premier League, a lot is really asked of you physically. So maybe he will slowly grow into that role.
“But in a match like this (against Liverpool), where West Ham are missing a few players, you would have hoped he would be in. But then Lopetegui chooses others. Summerville is more of a substitute this season, but you still hope he can knock on the door a bit more emphatically.”
