As West Ham begin the long journey towards promotion, I often find myself asking which members of the current squad could operate successfully in the Premier League.
In the back of my mind, I can identify perhaps four or five. On-loan Nottingham Forest defender Morato, however, is not currently among them.
The Brazilian appears to have been recruited after it became clear that West Ham could not persuade Axel Disasi to join the club. He was then pressed into service at left-back following the late departure of El Hadji Malick Diouf.
To be fair, Morato has done okay. He has shown the attitude, commitment and physical determination required for a promotion campaign in the Championship.
But make no mistake: he looks like a centre-back playing at left-back.
That is not necessarily a criticism of the player. Morato is performing a job for the team in a position which does not appear to bring out his best qualities. Nevertheless, West Ham must recruit a specialist left-back rather than pretending the position has been permanently solved.
Morato celebrates scoring his first West Ham goal. The CB is now Nuno’s first choice left back.
Nuno Wants Morato To Stay At West Ham
The West Ham Way reports that Nuno Espírito Santo is keen to make Morato’s move permanent, with a deal considered likely if the Hammers secure promotion. The information was reported by ExWHUEmployee.
I find that prospect a little underwhelming.
At present, West Ham have arguably secured the ideal arrangement. They have a committed and useful player for a Championship season without assuming the financial responsibility of buying him.
Morato’s loan from Nottingham Forest runs for the entire 2026/27 campaign, so there is no obvious need to rush into a permanent transfer.
He may ultimately prove capable of filling a squad role in the Premier League, particularly because he can cover two positions. However, nothing I have seen so far suggests he should be considered a regular starter in the top flight.
West Ham Must Think Bigger If Promoted
If West Ham are promoted, the squad will require major surgery. I would hope Nils Koppen is provided with at least £150 million to strengthen it properly — and improvements at both centre-back and left-back should be prominent on his list.
Morato has been useful and may continue to be useful throughout the promotion campaign. But West Ham should use the full season to assess him before spending money.
There is simply no advantage in making a hasty decision.