Aaron Cresswell is surely finished as a first-team player at West Ham United, after more than a year of regression.
The 33-year-old has completely lost any kind of pace that he once had, and has been a liability for the Hammers during key games on separate occasions over the past 12 months.
READ ALSO: Jermain Defoe makes West Ham prediction as relegation fears hit home
There was a time not too long ago when Cresswell was one of the most trusted on-field lieutenants for West Ham boss David Moyes.
His physical capabilities have fallen off the face of a cliff this season though, and his limitations are obvious for everyone to see. Cresswell is someone who the opposition target week in week out, and it’s little wonder as to why.
West Ham recently activated a one-year extension option on the 33-year-old’s £53k-a-week deal. That was a crazy decision from the club in my opinion.
I believe it’s so obvious for everyone to see that Cresswell is now finished at the London Stadium…
Aaron Cresswell is totally finished as a West Ham player
The defender joined the Hammers from Ipswich Town for around £4 million in the summer of 2014 (Mirror).
In all fairness to Cresswell, he has been a fine servant for West Ham.
Things really started going downhill for him midway through last season though. The left-back has now become a liability to the team. In fact, he has been for a couple of seasons now.
His performances against Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League last season were horrendous, and as harsh as it may sound, he cost us the match in the semi-final.
There is no way that Cresswell should have been handed a new deal, and he should have been released at the end of this season, in my opinion.
The problem for Cresswell is that there is no way back into the team for him now.
Not only is the 33-year-old well past his best, but now Moyes has an upgrade on the Liverpool-born left-back in the form of Emerson, and the exceptionally talented Ollie Scarles coming through the ranks.
Ben Johnson can play in the left-back position as well, so there is an argument to be made that Cresswell is actually now our fourth choice left-back.
If there are any takers for his signature in the summer, Moyes shouldn’t think twice about letting him go. Aaron Cresswell has proven to be a very good signing for West Ham over the years, but his time as a top level footballer is finished in my opinion.
READ ALSO:
Sensational £25m man is West Ham’s best ever value for money signing in the PL era
talkSPORT’s Jim White makes £100 million Manchester United bid claim about Declan Rice
‘I can’t reveal my source’: Journo shares what he’s been told about Declan Rice to Arsenal
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
