Until last month, Crisencio Summerwill had never been called up to the Dutch senior team.
He has now starred in the Dutch attack as they won Group F in the ongoing World Cup final and later today (Monday) engineered a last-16 draw against Morocco.
This is some step forward and Premier League teams will be assessing whether he is up to the challenge at club level as well.
Following West Ham United’s relegation to the Championship, a move to Summerville would raise funds and allow the 24-year-old, who has been one of the team’s brightest players in a dismal season, to continue playing football at the highest level.
Athletic reported that Manchester United are considering Summerville as an option if they recruit at left-back this summer, and that Aston Villa are also considering him as a possible new signing. Liverpool had interest earlier this year but nothing progressed.
It is not difficult to see the attraction.
Summerville’s superb left-foot strike in the 2-2 draw with Japan that launched the Netherlands’ run at the World Cup final, and his subsequent goal and assist as a half-time substitute in the 5-1 rout of Sweden in the second leg, show his potential influence. He has terrible pace, defenders fear his dribble, and his ability to score goals from tight angles and situations makes him a threat.
But how will those strengths translate to a higher-level Premier League team, and will they be reflected in the £50 million ($66 million) it is expected to cost to pry him away from West Ham?
As we can see from his 2025/26 table below, Summerville has played in a number of different roles for East London, but is most effective on the left flank and would be eyed by contenders such as Villa or Manchester United for a spot on the left flank.
He played a key role in West Ham’s progress through the third places, but primarily by receiving the ball and then running with it, rather than staying high to extend play or get in defensively.
At only about 5ft 8in (172cm), he is better suited to using his acceleration and footwork to beat full-backs rather than challenging balls in the air. Summerville creates chances primarily by bursting from his favored right foot, as shown on the dashboard, and is not afraid to take shots from congested central areas.
As one of the strongest creators and technicians in a struggling team, he shone and West Ham relied on his individual spark. How he will perform in a more balanced team is another matter, and his game still needs improvement.
At his best, Summerville is fearless when it comes to taking shots. This allows him to catch opponents off guard, as was the case with his goal against Japan, where he opted to shoot into the far corner from the edge of the box rather than catch Denzel Dumfries’ overlapping shot or look for Donyell Malen in the middle.
However, his final product has room for improvement. According to fbref.com, 45 players took 50 or more shots in the Premier League last season (Summerville made 54). Out of 45, his on-target rate (27.8%) was the sixth-highest.
Summerville’s preference for cutting inside also means that the volume of his crosses is much lower than some other players on the wings, as we can see from his playing style wheel below. It hasn’t been such a big problem in his two years at West Ham, where there hasn’t been a huge need for a huge number of crosses to feed the in-form number nine, but it is a noticeable gap in his game.
If he were to move to Old Trafford or Villa Park, the demands of his role would change and become more ball-oriented.
Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha is another right-left winger, but he is tasked with playing in partnership with an overlapping full-back and running away from pace-setting central midfielders such as Bruno Fernandes. Less emphasis is placed on taking on the creative burden. Patrick Dorgu, as a left-back and converted full-back, offers a completely different profile.
Summerville’s characteristics also do not reflect those of Morgan Rodgers if he left Villa this summer. Rodgers’ role is not simply that of a striker, but rather an inside forward and threat in the box, and his game is less dribbling-oriented.
However, Summerville’s performances at the World Championships show his versatility and how he can adapt to different demands.
Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman used him on the right flank in all three group games, playing ahead of Dumfries’ right-back, and the two combined well together, in a similar way to how Summerville might have been asked to work for another club.
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He continued to show confidence by moving the ball through central areas and linking attacks – during Cody Gakpo’s goal against Sweden, Summerville held the ball well, allowing his teammates to get into the box before passing the ball to Dumfries, who passed to Gakpo.
While others carried more of the creative load, Summerville was also free to move in and around the box and get into shooting positions.
Summerville proves that he is more than just an outstanding player in a relegated team and demonstrates his ability to adapt to new demands and conditions.
It remains to be seen whether he will show enough to convince a Champions League-level club to take a £50m bet on his potential.