On the day in which Michail Antonio left West Ham United as a free agent, did the Premier League outfit unveil his long-term replacement in the shape of former Celtic starlet Daniel Cummings?
A passing of the baton moment, perhaps, between a 35-year-old veteran and a teenager 16 years his junior?
Daniel Cummings is, first and foremost, a goalscorer. A tally of 38 from 58 appearances in Celtic’s B-team is proof enough of his innate penalty-area instincts.
Six of those came in seven UEFA Youth League outings last season.
And while most of were the kind of one-touch finish reminiscent of the very best number nines, there was one effort in particular which showcased the depth of Cummings’ attributes. First, he darted in behind the opposition defence. Then, he dinked the ball over an onrushing goalkeeper and, before rolling it into an empty net, used his impressive upper-body strength to hold off a desperate defender.
Sporting director Mark Noble is a huge fan of Daniel Cummings already, highlighting his aggression, work-rate and ‘presence’ when leading the line. And, while Cummings’ still-broadening shoulders are no match for Michail Antonio’s just yet, a teenager two inches taller than West Ham United’s all-time record Premier League goalscorer does appear to possess many of the same raw attributes.
Daniel Cummings explains the Michail Antonio-esque attributes he brings to West Ham United
Cummings, who once scored a dramatic late winner in a Scottish Youth Cup final victory over Old Firm rivals Rangers, will initially link up with Mark Robson’s Under-21 squad during pre-season with an eye on a first-team debut later down the line.
Cummings turned down a contract at boyhood club Celtic.
Speaking to the club’s official website, the teenager opened up on the discussions he held with captain-turned-director Noble, as well as the Antonio-esque talents he will look to develop in a claret and blue jersey.
“It feels amazing to join West Ham United. It’s a dream come true,” says Cummings, already an imposing physical presence at 6ft 1in.
“It’s every young footballer’s dream to play in the Premier League, so when West Ham came calling, it was too good to say no, and I’m looking forward to getting started.
“I’m an all-rounded striker who likes to run in behind and hold up the ball. But, at the end of the day, I’m a goalscorer and I like to score goals and celebrate with the fans, so I’m going to give everything, absolutely everything for this Club.
“I want to be successful and of course the aim is to be a first-team player for West Ham. I want to keep pushing, and hopefully I can do well and eventually get that first-team opportunity.”
Mark Noble thinks Cummings can emulate Ollie Scarles
Noble believes Cummings can emulate the success of Ollie Scarles under Graham Potter.
Scarles was named 2024/25’s Young Hammer of the Year, making 15 top-flight appearances while overtaking the vastly experienced Emerson Palmieri in the pecking order.
“Since day one, when Mark [Noble] was on the phone, he spoke so highly of everyone here and sold the Club to me,” Cummings adds.
“I did a lot of research about the Club and there’s a pathway to the first team, and that’s all you can ask for as a young player.
“I’ve been at Celtic since the age of five and have played for their B team in the Lowland League for the last few years. I’ve played in the UEFA Youth League, and also managed to make my first-team debut in January against Aston Villa in the Champions League, and all of these experiences have provided the perfect preparation for my next step here at West Ham.
“I arrive here full of confidence. I loved every minute of last season because I went into every game feeling like I was going to score, and to do that on the big stage in the likes of the UEFA Youth League was amazing.”
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