Three West Ham academy stars who could save the club millions in transfer fees

West Ham United via Getty Images

With the coronavirus pandemic expected to quell big outlays in the transfer market, we’re looking at how Premier League clubs could save some pennies by promoting talent from their academy.

Despite stuttering performances on the field, West Ham have invested heavily in the transfer market in recent seasons having broken their transfer record in each of the past two seasons.

Sebastien Haller arrived for £45million last year in a deal that eclipsed the purchase of Felipe Anderson from Lazio 12 months before.

But with the likes of Declan Rice shining for the first team having progressed from the academy – so who else could follow in the midfielder’s footsteps?

Here are the players who save West Ham millions…

Right-back has proved somewhat of a problem position for David Moyes since his return to the club. Ryan Fredericks is the clear first choice but often struggles with injuries while Premier League veteran Pablo Zabaleta, who will leave at the end of the season, is not as capable as he used to be when it comes to playing regularly at the highest level. Ben Johnson has shown promise but has also had his injury problems.

Photo: West Ham United FC via Getty Images
West Ham United FC via Getty Ima

That is where Jeremy Ngakia stepped in. A shy 19-year-old who was thrown in for his Premier League debut against Liverpool at the London Stadium. Jurgen Klopp's men would win 2-0, but Ngakia showed no sign of being overawed by the stage he was thrust on. Just as well, his second Premier League appearance came at Anfield in a 3-2 defeat where the Hammers should have come away with something.

Ngakia is a technically impressive player, at his best when taking players on having played as a winger growing up before moving further back. There are of course things for the full-back to work on, but Moyes certainly has a determined and unassuming prospect on his hands.

The tricky winger first caught the eye at senior level in bagging a brace on his debut during an 8-0 win over Macclesfield in the Carabao Cup.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters
Action Images via Reuters

Diangana offers something different, with teammates, fans and opponents never knowing what he'll do next. The 22-year-old, who joined the club at 12, made a string of performances under Manuel Pellegrini before more senior international teammates returned from injury.

A reunion with former Hammers manager Slaven Bilic at West Brom this season has seen the England U21 international really step up, so much so that David Moyes was ready to recall him from the Championship and into the first team before injury struck in January.

Moyes is determined to bring through a core of young, exciting talent in east London and Diangana is certainly central to his plans

There was real excitement around the club when the striker signed from Vitoria de Guimaraes in 2018. A six-minute hat-trick on his debut for the U23s against Tottenham seemed to back up the hype

Photo: PA
PA

Since then, however, there have been a string of injury problems for the 23-year-old, who underwent emergency bowel surgery last summer and endured a lengthy recovery.

Three goals in three games made for an encouraging return to U23s football in February and with Moyes eyeing a future centred on exiting young players in east London, there is every chance that Silva will get another crack at the first time in due course.

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