OPINION
Many West Ham United fans may have considered the signing of striker Lucas Perez from Arsenal in the summer as complete and utter waste of time.
On some levels, it was. The 30-year-old has only managed to muster up five goals in 15 appearances for the Hammers, and even those figures suggest that he is not at the front of Manuel Pellegrini’s thoughts. Who can blame him?
Perez has not shown any signs of improving, and this is why the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez – and dare we say it – Andy Carroll are ahead of him in the pecking order. When the likes of Carroll are ahead of you in the queue, that is when you know that something is seriously wrong.
Well, it does not have to be that way for the Spaniard. Some may be saying that there is nothing left to salvage of his career with the Irons, but that may be far from the case. In fact, the club must loan him out this summer to help him unleash what he clearly has locked away so far this season.
It is the best situation for all parties involved here. It means that West Ham would be rid of him for a whole campaign, and it also means that Perez will be getting vital game time under his belt, something which he is no doubt naturally craving.
Some may argue that he has been loaned out before, and that has amounted to nothing. That is where the problem ultimately lies. He has not been farmed out to clubs in England since being at Arsenal, and seeing as he did not see much action there, his experience of English football is still very limited.
However, that could all change if Pellegrini sorts out a loan exit for the barely-seen Irons attacker in the summer. It could be just the thing to ignite a spark in him and improve him for the better.
Just look at how a loan move saw Robert Snodgrass’ full potential unleashed.
