West Ham United have a proud history of developing and promoting some brilliant youngsters from their academy system.
The most recent one to really make his mark on the team and then be sold on for a massive fee was Declan Rice.
Freddie Potts looks like he could be the Hammers’ next homegrown superstar after his sensational Premier League displays before the international break.
However, while the club try their best to keep hold of their most promising talents, they aren’t always able to, and one youngster they may rue losing more than any other looks like he could be a bigger prospect than Potts and a future England star.
West Ham's next academy star
While Potts is the current academy product getting the attention and adulation from fans and pundits alike – justifiably so – he could soon be joined in the first team by another of Rush Green’s best: George Earthy.
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Now, the 21-year-old has made four appearances for the first team and even scored a brilliant goal against Luton Town in the Premier League a couple of years ago, but due to loan moves and injury, those four appearances have amounted to only 36 minutes.
In other words, most fans aren’t really thinking about the youngster, and those that occasionally do aren’t sure what sort of player they’ll be getting when he returns from his hamstring injury.
Well, firstly, even though his primary position is attacking midfield, the Havering-born gem has and can play in several positions across the pitch.
Second, he’s as comfortable scoring goals as he is providing assists, and has a seriously impressive record from his time in the academy.
For example, in 60 appearances for the u18s, totalling 4804 minutes, he scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 111.72 minutes.
Appearances
60
55
Minutes
4804′
3618′
Goals
25
18
Assists
18
14
Goal Involvements per Match
0.71
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
111.72′
113.06′
Then, during his time with the u21s, he scored 18 goals and provided 14 assists in 55 appearances, totalling 3618 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 113.06 minutes.
Finally, while he’s not played much for the Hammers, he has gained a decent amount of first-team experience from his time on loan with Bristol City last season, where he was named Young Player of the Season.
In all, so long as he can remain fit, West Ham have another superb homegrown talent on their hands in Earthy, which should help make up for them losing another, arguably more promising talent last year.
The Academy gem West Ham will rue losing
One of the most exciting talents to come through West Ham’s academy in the last five years or so was undoubtedly Divin Mubama.
During his time in West London, the Englishman was utterly unstoppable for the junior sides, racking up a staggering tally of 40 goals and five assists for the u18s and then 18 goals and two assists for the u21s.
This brilliant output saw him get a chance with the first team, and over the 22/23 and 23/24 seasons, he made 18 senior appearances, totalling 431 minutes.
West Ham
18
1
1
WH U21s
34
18
2
WH U18s
57
40
5
Man City
2
1
0
Man City U21s
9
8
4
Stoke City
15
5
1
However, in August 2024, then Premier League champions Manchester City came knocking, and despite their best efforts to keep him, Julen Lopetegui and Co had to make do with a measly £1.2m as he joined the Citizens.
To nobody’s surprise, the goalscoring machine continued his fine form in the North West, and ended the 24/25 campaign with 16 goals and four assists in 14 appearances for City’s u21s.
Moreover, Pep Guardiola gave him two run-outsrun-outs in the first team, and on his debut in an FA Cup game against Salford, he scored his first senior goal for the club.
Coming into this season, it was crystal clear that the 21-year-old is too good to play in the youth sides, and so he was sent out on loan to Stoke City in the Championship, where he has done a reasonable enough job.
For example, even though it’s his first season of regular first-team football, the “powerful” strike, as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored five goals and provided one assist in 15 appearances.
In addition to making his way in the club game, the Newham-born monster has also been in incredible form for England’s u21s.
In five caps, the game-changing marksman has already scored five goals and provided one assist.
Ultimately, it’s not West Ham’s fault, but if Mubama continues to develop in the way he has over the last year or so, they could really come to rue losing him.
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