OPINION
Off the back of England’s recent internationals against Spain and Switzerland, much of the talk has been about young English players not getting enough game time.
Dominic Solanke, on a reported £25,000-per-week at Liverpool [Source: Spotrac], is one of those players name checked most often when people talk about the lack of minutes for young English talents.
Ex-West Ham defender Rio Ferdinand was adamant recently that the 20-year-old should find the Anfield exit door as soon as possible.
“Solanke’s sitting at Liverpool, he was sitting at Chelsea, he’s gone to Liverpool for an opportunity, he’s not getting that,” he told BT Sport. “He’s got to get out.”
"Look at Jadon Sancho, he's tearing up the Bundesliga!" ?
"If I'm Ruben Loftus-Cheek I'm banging down the manager's door!"@rioferdy5 feels young English players need to get out of their comfort zone and take a chance if they want to play. #PLTonight pic.twitter.com/SvMj05QQun
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 15, 2018
Now whether Ferdinand feels that Solanke should leave Liverpool permanently or not is unknown, but it’s certain that the youngster would benefit from a loan move away from Merseyside.
West Ham would be the perfect team for the young Englishman. Manuel Pellegrini’s charges are noticeably struggling for goals at the start of this season, while Solanke obviously needs the first team football. Talk about two birds…
His goal record in first team football is rather underwhelming, but he’s young and that’s what happens when you’re in and out of the team (more often out in Solanke’s case).
He just needs a bit of trust placed in him and he’ll flourish. Pellegrini could give him that by installing him as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
A loan move in January until the end of the season would be perfect for everyone involved. Liverpool don’t need him in their squad at the moment, while West Ham do.
Solanke himself would benefit not only from regular football, but from playing in front of talented playmakers like Marko Arnautovic, Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko.
Given a run of games, the 20-year-old would likely rediscover the lethal goalscoring form he displayed at every level of youth football for Chelsea.
Javier Hernandez doesn’t seem to be a favourite of Pellegrini’s, while Andy Carroll cannot stay fit. Lucas Perez is yet to make an impact and Arnautovic playing as the frontman is not a long term solution.
Solanke is the ideal solution to what ails the Hammers, and he deserves the opportunity to play regularly. All the youngster needs is a chance, and West Ham can give him that.