West Ham are going to be dipping in the transfer market this summer. The annual cash-splash could be lessened, however, by two emerging stars from the academy.
The ebb and flow of the annual summer transfer window has the Hammers relying on player sales to stock their war chest after 2018’s £100m window. Yes, the inevitable receding of funds after Manuel Pellegrini’s first summer window is upon us, but the winger youth movement could alleviate the stress to buy wide forwards.
Grady Diangana
Right now, Grady Diangana is probably most likely to head out on a loan spell away from the Hammers this season. You might as then, how is he going to solve any problems with the current club if he’s not here with them? Fair question, but right wing is an area of considerable depth, and Diangana’s next step is to win starting minutes in a competitive league.
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Currently, Andriy Yarmolenko, Michail Antonio, and Robert Snodgrass are all right-sided options above Diangana at the club, and all have time left on their deals. Also, each player listed above is considerably better than Diangana as the important aspects of his position.
Yarmolenko has a lethal shot, Antonio is stronger and faster, and Snodgrass has the setpiece and dead-ball deliveries the team needs. Grady simply doesn’t have these qualities – yet. At 21-years of age, Diangana has plenty of time to hone these skills and return to West Ham a dominant right winger.
Before this season, I didn’t know who he was. Now, I honestly believe he has the raw potential to be a regular on this team. in the future. 21 is an interesting age too because Grady isn’t a young, fresh prospect, but he isn’t quite a veteran or everyday Premier League player (17 games).
He needs a loan to the Championship (at the least) and he needs to be battling every day for a starting job. Newly relegated Fulham could be a fit, especially if West Ham steals away Mitrovic and possible Schurrle which would open up opportunities.
The savings Diangana promises his manager are down the road, but proper handling of this talent could see him develop into that everyday player West Ham can boast is homegrown.
Nathan Holland
The always incumbent Nathan Holland had his chance in the spotlight stolen away last season by injury and an impressive Grady Diangana. Heavily boasted by the academy and ITK insider ExWHUemployee as a can’t miss star in the making, Holland is poised to be a West Ham player this season.
What supporters need to know about this starlet is that when it comes to playmaking academy prospects, Holland may be the best ever. In eleven matches with the PL2 Development team this season he scored twice and added eight assists. He does it every imaginable way, too. Sprinting down the wing on a counter attack break? Watch out for the perfect cut-back pass. Dead-ball? Here comes a perfectly weighted cross. Possession based build-up play? Incoming slicing through ball that picks out a run no one else saw. The kid is a talent.
Right now, West Ham don’t really have any options on left-wing either. Felipe Anderson is the starter without doubt, but other than him Pellegrini has improperly slotted in Snodgrass and Antonio this season to fill the void. Holland’s ascension could be upon us simply because there are no other options at the club.
That being said, Holland has earned an extensive tryout for first-team football. Last season he declined a loan move ahead of the season in the hopes that he would impress Pellegrini and earn a first-team spot. Unfortunately, injury cut down Holland’s season immensely, but when he returned he was electric. Hopefully, 2019/20 is the breakout year for Holland in the Prem.