Have West Ham already completed the most underrated signing of the summer?

Throughout a traditionally hectic summer transfer window that has so far seen a whole host of big name players look to try their hand among the Premier League next season – including former Borussia Dortmund stars Henrikh Mkhitarayn and Ilkay Gundogan, Belgium’s Euro 2016 goal-scorer Michy Batshuayi, ex-Bundesliga favourite Granit Xhaka, and of course not forgetting a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic down at Old Trafford – the need for top-flight English clubs to begin sourcing new exciting talent at cut-price bargain deals, is seemingly becoming harder and harder to attain with every passing week.  

 

The concept of ‘value for money’ simply fails to hold all that much value of its own within the modern footballing era truth be told – yet right amidst an atmosphere of ever-growing transfer fees and equally over-hyped player valuations – West Ham United may have indeed completed one of the most subtly impressive signings of the entire summer.

 

Former Valencia favourite and current winger for the Algerian national team, Sofiane Feghouli, could really go on to represent somewhat of an important coup for the Hammers in the not too distant future. But will the former Manchester United target really take to life among the Premier League as some have subsequently predicted this summer, and just how important will the 26-year-old wide-man ultimately prove when all is said and done next term?

 

Feghouli will be one of the signings of the season. Great signing by West Ham, and for free. Surprised that no bigger clubs went for him.

— Jim Stokes (@JimStokes_91) 4 August 2016

 

I remember Sofiane Feghouli being really highly rated a few years ago. Potentially a great signing for West Ham on a free #lovebilic

— Matt Sadler (@MattWShore) 17 June 2016

 

Although Sofiane Feghouli admittedly failed to set the Spanish top-flight alight with Valencia last term, the once widely coveted Algerian international was nonetheless working alongside a somewhat ineffectual team for large parts of the previous domestic campaign – culminating rather publically with Gary Neville’s shock appointment, and not so shock dismissal from the Mestalla Stadium shortly into his brief managerial foray among the Spanish game.

 

When running directly at opposing defenders with the ball locked firmly at his feet however, searching for that killer through-ball inside the final third, and simply terrorizing the opposition with close-control skill and neat foot-work just outside the penalty box – this is one player who certainly possesses enough potential to begin emulating the effect of fellow Algerian teammate, Riyad Mahrez, among the Premier League next season.

 

Even without yet signing that all important ’20 goal a season’ striker West Ham fans and chairmen alike have been so badly craving throughout the entire transfer window so far this summer, Slaven Bilic’s determined outfit nonetheless carry a rather distinctive attacking threat with the likes of Sofiane Feghouli, Gokhan Tore, Manuel Lanzini, Michail Antonio, Dimitri Payet and Andy Carroll all looking to impress within the Olympic Stadium in 2016/17.

 

So then, although each of Ahmed Musa, Vincent Janssen and Alvaro Negredo could theoretically perform just as well for their respective outfits as West Ham’s newly acquired Algerian next season, the immediate signs nonetheless look rather promising for Sofiane Feghouli among the English top-flight with Slaven Bilic’s Hammers – especially as the 26-year-old 2014 World Cup representative arrives merely as a free-transfer down at the Olympic Stadium this summer!