Ricardo Vaz Te is in line to start for West Ham at the KC Stadium on Saturday - a month on from handing in a transfer request.
The forward tried to force through a move away from Upton Park just days before the summer transfer window closed, but nothing materialised.
And Vaz Te will have been consigned to the inevitability of limited opportunities before Sam Allardyce turned to the 26-year-old for Tuesday night’s Capital One Cup tie, in the midst of a striker crisis.
Indeed, a combination of injury and fitness issues have plagued West Ham’s front line this season, freeing the Portuguese forward to turn out an impressive match-winning display for the Hammers in the cup.
"He keeps on telling everyone that he creates chances and scores and that's what the manager wants - people to put the ball in the back of the net,” said assistant manager, Neil McDonald.
"That's a knock on the door for the manager, he's available on Saturday against Hull and gives the manager a nice little problem.
"You have to forget what happened in the past, maybe it was bad advice, but he's a genuine lad who just wants to play.
"He wanted to go and play somewhere but he got a game here and scored the winner which is great."
