West Ham United manager David Moyes has been told by one of striker Gianluca Scamacca’s former youth coaches that the Italian will prove his worth at the London Stadium.
Scamacca, who signed for the Hammers for £30.5million in the summer (rising to £35.5million after add-ons) has had a mixed time of it in recent months, having initially started life in England with a run of goals.
However, after missing a month of action with a knee injury, Scamacca returned to the squad last month but has been an unused substitute in the Hammers’ last four Premier League matches since returning to the squad.
READ MORE : West Ham ace handed late international call-up to face England after Inter Milan star’s injury
Following criticism from supporters over Scamacca’s lack of game time, Moyes said that a dip in the 24-year-old’s “physical data” led to Scamacca’s spell of struggling for minutes.
Scamacca, having only made two outings in West Ham’s six games in all competitions before the second leg win over AEK Larnaca in the Hammers’ final match before the international match, was handed a first start since January 4 and took his chance, scoring the opening goal 20 minutes into the 4-0 victory.
Now, Scamacca will want to prove himself further on international duty for Italy against England and Malta in the next week and one of Scamacca’s former youth coaches at Lazio, Emiliano Leva, has said that Scamacca will prove his worth to Moyes and West Ham, having recently been linked with a return to Serie A at Juventus.
“Even a year ago, his name was associated with these teams and more,” Leva told Football Italia . Gianluca is a first-tier centre-forward, it is no coincidence that he has been with the national team for some time.
“I can certainly tell you that he has all the potential to make the leap into a big one. (Simone) Inzaghi already knows him well from the time when I coached him at Lazio, he often came to watch the youth games.
“I can’t say where I would see him best (Juventus or Inter Milan), they are complex discussions that involve the interlocking of many factors. I repeat that the only thing I am sure of is that Gianluca is ready to make this possible leap.
“But you will see that in the meantime he will return to being the man with West Ham.”
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