Eddie Mungai

To kick-off the New Year, West Ham United FC have opened up the Winter Transfer Window with the signing of free agent Samir Nasri. Seven years ago, this would’ve been a great signing, as he was 24 and fresh off his Premier League win in his first season withManchester City. But signing him now seems all too familiar to me, considering the stage of his professional career. West Ham has made a number of transfers in the past five seasons involving African players/players of African descent that are past their prime, beginning in the 2014/15 season.

Victor Moses-Right winger, Right wing-back

Moses was loaned to West Ham from Chelsea during the 2015/16 season. The 24-year-old Nigerian winger made his third consecutive loan move this season, previously at Stoke City and Liverpool. Many would say this was a successful loan for him, as he was recalled by Chelsea under manager Antonio Conte and was influential in securing the Premier League title in the 2016/17 season playing as a right wing-back. But I would argue his prime was with Wigan Athletic FC, especially during the 2011/12 season where he amassed six goals and played every game of the season. He helped the club finish 15th in the Premier League, the team’s best finish while under the reign of manager Roberto Martinez. And Moses was deployed in his natural winger position with Wigan and that was his best season to date (in terms of goals scored). I also consider the right wing-back role intended for attacking players that used to be wingers but demonstrate they have no offensive end product whatsoever and just offer a physical presence. So that’s why Moses was finally converted to that position at Chelsea in the 2016/17 season because in his prior loan spells at Liverpool and Stoke City, while playing in the winger role, he only scored two and four goals respectively. The time he played at West Ham, the last time he played in his natural winger position, it was past his prime for he only scored two goals in 26 appearances.

Andre Ayew-Winger

After a successful eight years at Olympique de Marseille and a convincing season with Welsh side Swansea City A.F.C., the Ghanian international joined the East London club with hopes of replicating his elite performances at his previous teams. Unfortunately, in

the 2016/17 season (his debut season) he only scored six goals in all competitions. He repeated the exact same total the first half of last season before he made the transfer back to Swansea in the 2018 January transfer window. For a winger that scored 12 league goals in his first season at Swansea, and scored 16 goals in all competitions in one season at Marseille, that is definitely a discrepancy from what he did at West Ham and may indicate a player that reached their peak prior to joining West Ham.

Diafra Sakho-Center Forward

The Senegalese striker had successful scoring sprees with his former club Metz, scoring 20 goals in back to back seasons, helping the team get promoted to Ligue 2 and Ligue 1. When he made the move to the East London club in the 2014/15 season, it was his first time playing in a top-tier professional league. In 26 appearances, he netted 12 goals in all competitions (10 of them being in the Premier League). That isn’t a shabby total at all considering the physicality of the Premier League. However, in his subsequent seasons, he scored a combined 12 goals in all competitions. He left the club in the 2018 January transfer window with 24 goals in 71 appearances. He moved to Ligue 1 club Stade Rennes FC, scoring only three goals in all competitions in 14 appearances. Sakho might have been the kind of player only capable of playing in second-tier leagues. Or maybe he reached his prime in the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons.

Sofiane Feghouli-Right Winger

Coming from Valencia CF, the Algerian right winger featured regularly for the La Liga team and was adept in scoring and providing an ample number of assists. However, in the 2015/16 season, that was his most underwhelming season with Valencia as he only

scored five goals and assisted four times in all competitions, his lowest combined output since his first season with the club in 2010/11. In the 2016/17 season, he produced similar numbers with West Ham, scoring four goals and assisting three times in 28 appearances in all competitions. The Valencia season should’ve been an indicator of the skill set he would bring to London. Feghouli gave an indication of a declining player while at West Ham.

Alex Song-Defensive Midfielder

Loaned to West Ham from FC Barcelona during the 2014/15 season and 2015/16 season, the Cameroonian was past his prime. His best season was his last at Arsenal FC, establishing a formidable rapport with striker Robin van Persie and registering 11 assists, the fifth best tally in the league that season. In the following seasons leading up to the present (currently in the Swiss Super League at FC Sion) he has registered eight assists combined. Assisting typically isn’t the role of a defensive midfielder, but it was an asset for his position. And moving to Barcelona, one would expect his assist numbers to be similar (or even improve) considering the superior attack they had over Arsenal. But the rise of Sergio Busquets and the consistency of veteran Seydou Keita of Mali limited Song’s playing time and, I believe, contributed to his demise.

Emmanuel Emenike-Center Forward

Emenike’s best scoring seasons were with Turkish second-tier team Karabükspor and Russian Premier Liga club Spartak Moscow, where he scored 30 goals for the Turkish

club and 13 goals for the Russian side during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons. However, at the time of his loan to West Ham, he only reached double-digit goals in a season once in the 2013/14 season. While at West Ham, he scored only two goals in 13 appearances, both coming in one match in the FA Cup. He was well past his prime.

Patrice Evra-Left-Back

The fact that he was 36 years old clearly indicates the former French international (born in Senegal) was past his prime. The logic of the signing is understandable because the club’s first choice left-back, Democratic Republic of Congo player Arthur Masuaku, received a six-month red card ban a day before the January transfer window closed for spitting in someone’s face. Choosing an experienced player who knows the Premier League (after playing for Manchester United for eight years) made sense. But on second thought, couldn’t they have played a central defender in the left-back position (or change their formation to three at the back) or even promote someone from the youth squad to play left-back? That’s where I’m dumbfounded. He only made five appearances for the club.

The average age of these individuals mentioned when they joined West Ham is 26.75. Adding Samir Nasri to the equation, it’s 27.22. The man of Algerian descent could be passed his prime, considering he was out 18 months serving a doping ban. But what he has going for him is West Ham’s tendency to sign productive creative midfielders (Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, and Felipe Anderson).

Overall, it’s alarming how West Ham’s transfer policy involving African players/African descent players frequently consists of acquiring players past their prime. Hopefully, Samir Nasri thrives in his role with his new team.