Whispers

Villa set to poach former Hammers record signing for NOTHING

Hammers record signing for NOTHING?

Former West Ham winger Felipe Anderson is set to begin discussions with Aston Villa regarding a return to the Premier League.

The Brazilian departed West Ham to re-join his former club Lazio in the summer of 2021 after struggling for playing time under Hammers boss David Moyes. Despite being linked with a move to Juventus, Aston Villa is reportedly interested in securing a deal for Anderson this summer.

Aston Villa aim to finalise an agreement with Anderson this month, discussing a potential pre-contract before signing him as a free agent in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Since his return to Lazio in 2021, the 30-year-old winger has displayed impressive performances, scoring 20 goals and providing 23 assists. This is a stark contrast to his form at The London Stadium, where he arrived for £34 million under Manuel Pellegrini’s reign. Current manager David Moyes initially showed interest in Anderson, but ultimately failed to extract the best from him.

The Brazilian winger was subsequently loaned out to Portugal before making a permanent move back to Italy for a nominal fee of £4 million. The transfer represents one of West Ham’s most significant financial losses.

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Kris Gonzo (commonly known to the West Ham community as Gonzo) is the co-founder of Hammers Chat (established 2014) and the lead video content creator and columnist for Claret and Hugh.

With over a decade of professional sports media experience, he is a frequent West Ham United analyst and contributor for Sky Sports News, BBC Football Focus, and BBC Radio 5 Live. He previously served as an official video and content creator for West Ham United FC during the club's tenure at Upton Park and featured in the official documentary commemorating the historic final game at the Boleyn Ground.

A lifelong Hammer since the legendary 10-0 victory over Bury, when he isn't providing daily match analysis on the Hammers Chat YouTube Channel or broadcasting on X (@GONZObignose), he can be found walking his dog and restoring classic pinball machines.