West Ham have a wealth of young talent at the club, a vital essential for any team other than the very rich in order to survive in the top flights of football, so we thought we'd take a look at the new generation of players to emerge. When it comes to young promising goal keepers the Irons are spoiled for choice with Nathan Trott and Joseph Anang on the books as well as two youth internationals in the U-18's with Daniel Jinady and Serinne Sanneh, there is also the 17 year old Hungarian Krisztian Hegyi, who was wanted by Manchester United and Real Madrid, he has trained with the first team and has played with the U-23's this season.
Scottish youth international Harrison Ashby has played well for the U-18's and has also played for the U-23's a few times this season, he made his U-23's debut earlier this season as an emergency centre back after an injury crisis, helping the team to a clean sheet .
Centre half Jamal Baptiste became the 2nd youngest Hammers U-23 player in history earlier this season when he made his debut in a Premier League International Cup win over Valencia two months ahead of his 16th birthday. His England U-17 debut followed not long after and he has been a regular in U-23s match squads ever since making the step up, he is very highly rated at the London Stadium and there are hopes the future will see him develop in to a top player.
Goncalo Cardoso was signed from Boavista last summer for more than £1million, big things are expected of the Portuguese youngster, who has been a regular for his country across all age groups. He is essentially a centre back but can also play at left back which he has done on a few occasions this season for the U- 23's.
Marauding left back Sam Caiger has finally returned after nearly two years out through injury and has scored a couple of goals in a win over Spurs, he is well thought of at Chadwell Heath.
Midfielder Conor Coventry recently signed a new contract extension until 2023 before being sent out on loan to Lincoln City, Coventry made his first team debut against Macclesfield Town last season in the Carabao Cup and took over the U-23's captaincy after Moses Makasi was sold, he’s continued to progress and is another one for the future.
Creative midfielder Bernardo Rosa won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month nomination for November having made the move up to U-23 level from the U-18s. The Brazilian, who began his career at Vasco de Gama in his homeland before making the move to London in his early teenage years has really impressed the U-23 bosses.
Nathan Holland is a winger who has been on loan this season at Oxford United, scoring in an FA Cup replay against Newcastle United, before his loan was cut short after suffering a hamstring injury. Unfortunately Injuries have meant his career has been sporadic since signing from Everton but that hasn't stopped him from being the U-23's top scorer this season having scored 11 times in the PL2 before he was loaned out for his League One experience.
Amadou Diallo was immediately handed his first professional contract at the club signing on the dotted line with his boyhood club on his 17th birthday. Diallo was in fact just 14 when he made his debut for the club's U-18s against Arsenal in 2017 under former coach Jack Collison and last season he broke into the U-23's setup, scoring two goals in his first three appearances at that level and has gone from strength to strength, well above his age range,
Striker Xande Silva suffered serious bowel obstruction that required emergency surgery last summer which set him back a bit, but he has scored three times since his return this season. In 2019-20, the Portuguese hitman was stunning scoring seven goals in his first six games and making a first team debut at Burnley, he made his senior full debut in the FA Cup win over Birmingham.
Mipo Odubeko has only been at the club for three months having been sniped from Manchester United, but the striker has made a big impact already, he has scored 35 goals for the Iron’s academy last season and has seven goals in six games for the U-18s since signing. He also scored with his very first touch off the bench on his under-23s debut earlier this year as well.
Mesaque Dju joined the club at the end of the January transfer window during the 2018-19 season from Portuguese side Benfica, the youngster joined on a three and a half year deal and joins fellow countryman Xande Silva in the Club's U-23 squad.
These aren't the only youngsters on the horizon, ironically it was the 'pulling power' of ex-manager Manuel Pellegrini that attracted many of the youngsters and the approval of their signatures by their parents and advisers, strength through youth sounds a bit Hitleresque, but realistically it is the only way a club like West Ham can possibly survive and progress in the top flight, until and when the current owners sellup to buyers with deep pockets, but don't hold your breath! - Ed
