West Ham record signing Felipe Anderson has declared he is not fazed by the pressure of his £36 million price-tag, instead welcoming the pressure it brings.
The right-sided speedster has already netted for the Hammers since his arrival, scoring in a 2-1 win in a pre-season friendly against Ipswich on Saturday (28 July), with Marko Arnautovic bagging the winner.
He was quoted by the Mirror as saying: “I’m ready for all the challenges. I can accept what a record signing means to West Ham fans and the opposition – but it excites me.”
“In Italy, it was more about the technical side of the game. Here, I understand it is faster and tougher. But I spoke to my great friend Willian and he urged me to come here and enjoy what the Premier League has to offer.”
He went on to reinforce the fact that he does not feel under pressure to perform, making a big declaration: “The pressure of the fee does not bother me. It’s a big responsibility because it shows the club believe in me.”
OPINION
The fact that Anderson is not bothered by the pressure and responsibility that comes with a club-record price-tag must be music to the West Ham fans’ ears. Most football fans have seen record signings or players with large price tags buckle under the pressure that it brings, turning out to be a flop that will move on somewhere else. The fact that he is confident he can perform is fantastic news for West Ham, as it shows what good and composed player they have on their hands. £36 million is a lot of money for the Hammers to spend on a top name, and they will certainly be hoping that it does not go to waste in the foreseeable future. They have forked out that amount for reason – they would not just spend that on any player that they like the look of. It will certainly be exciting to see Anderson prove exactly why he was worth £36 million next season.
