West Ham Player Update: One in, One out
By Adam Smith
Even with the January transfer window shut, West Ham are continuing to make player moves. This time, it is the extension of a key academy player and the loaning of a long-serving defender.
Amadou Diallo
The club confirmed that youngster Amadou Diallo has signed a new contract with the club, keeping him in East London on his first professional contract. The contract was well-earned with Diallo joining the Academy of Football when he was just ten years old.
This news comes after a successful stint captaining the England U17s, where he scored twice in three games. This, paired with his two goals and two assists in 11 matches this season split between the Premier League U18 squad (3 matches) and the U23s.
Diallo has the potential to be a first-team player in time. West Ham have a history of failing when it comes to grooming youth strikers and signing mercenaries to fill the position. With Diallo, Xande Silva, and Mipo Odubeko all coming through the academy, this issue could soon resolve itself! Congratulations to Diallo, and well deserved!
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Winston Reid
The long-serving defender, alternative captain, and Boelyn finale goal scorer Winson Reid is off to MLS for a loan spell with Sporting KC. The move was forecast by ITK ExWHUemployee and will see the New Zealand captain get some well deserved and much needed first-team action after his lengthy injury layoff in hopes to inspire a permanent move.
Reid’s recent history is non-existent for West Ham. Not since scoring the go-ahead goal for the Hammers against Manchester United in the final Boelyn match has Reid done much of note. To be fair, the team hasn’t either. His injury history is the main reason, with his deteriorating physical form leading to longer and longer injury layoffs.
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Although this is only a loan move, West Ham will do well to move on from the player who will go down in the annals of Hammers’ history in an effort to move forward. Under a sizeable contract until 2023 and with no future in sight for West Ham, the club needs to ship him out to better invest. Still, it will be a sad day when Reid moves on, a true Hammer through and through.