OPINION
West Ham United winger Grady Diangana is one of many young players who Manuel Pellegrini has placed his faith in this season.
The 20-year-old has made 16 Premier League appearances as a result of that trust, but recently, he has been replaced in the team by the returning Manuel Lanzini.
This has no doubt knocked the youngster’s confidence slightly, something which was particularly evident in the 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Saturday. When Lanzini came off injured, Diangana was tasked with replacing him.
However, what followed was a clear lack of experience from Diangana, especially against a team of United’s quality. He really struggled, and he even missed a clear-cut opportunity to salvage something for the Hammers.
It was clear that Diangana’s lack of senior experience was a weakness for the player and going up against Man United just put the spotlight on this flaw.
At the age of 20, it would make complete sense to seal a loan move for the speedster. With Lanzini having a lengthy run in the side, the likelihood of him playing regularly is now very slim indeed – and in order to develop, he needs regular game time.
There would no doubt be a range of teams willing to take him on loan if West Ham decided that was the best move for him. Come the summer, the club will certainly have their eye on new attacking talent, and this will leave Diangana on the sidelines.
At the moment, he is just not up to Premier League standard. Pellegrini needs players who he can trust to get the club European qualification, not players who lack the experience.
There is no denying the talent that Diangana has, and there is no denying the potential that he will fulfil one day. Being loaned out will ensure that he comes back a much better player, which would be a win-win situation for everyone involved.
