Keiber Lamadrid was a bit of a mystery when he joined Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham United from Venezuelan outfit Deportivo La Guaira last week.
But as the days go by and his route from South America to the Premier League is explained in detail, more and more information is emerging which goes some way to telling the 22-year-old’s tale.
West Ham United brought Keiber Lamadrid to the London Stadium on an initial loan deal. When Hammers News contacted a source close to the board, Lamadrid was described as a ‘lottery ticket’ signing. ‘Low risk, potentially high reward’.
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Now, Nuno Espirito Santo did say that it would take some time to get the one-time Venezuela international up to speed. He hasn’t played a competitive minute since the 2025 league season ended in November back home.
Yet, claims that West Ham plan to place Lamadrid with the Under-21s have been scotched. Thanks to his agent.
Karim Assafo insists that Lamadrid is a ‘first-team’ signing. One who, when fit, he is backing to provide depth in a squad short on natural widemen, even if Adama Traore did put pen to paper earlier today.
West Ham United have been taken aback by Venezuela starlet Keiber Lamadrid
Like Assafo, Alexis Jordan also spoke to the Fernando Petrocelli y la Ruta Vinotinto YouTube channel as part of a deep dive into Lamadrid’s development and his future prospects.
Jordan is the youth academy coordinator at Deportivo La Guaira.
By his admission, few saw such an opportunity coming. But now that it has, West Ham have been ‘pleasingly surprised’ by what they have seen from the little-known forward.
“Two or three years ago, we couldn’t have told you he’d be going to the Premier League!” Jordan says. “But seeing him every day, seeing how intelligent he is at understanding coach [Juan Domingo] Tolisano’s instructions…
“This is like you were driving Go-Karts or F3 and they gave you a Ferrari. He has to adapt to the ecosystem; the weather, the grass, the speed of the game, and the mental speed required. The Premier League is the fastest in Europe.
“We are surprised. Karim [Assafo] will tell you, but the West Ham fitness coaches are already in contact with ours. They are pleasantly surprised by his physical balance and his test results.
“They will [develop] him slowly. With [clubs in] England playing three or four different cups, he will get his chance. Whether they exercise the buy option in six months or loan him elsewhere, his growth will be exponential.”
Lamadrid rejected Middle Eastern offers in favour of the Premier League
Jordan adds that Lamadrid, who scored eight goals and assisted six more last season, rejected approaches from clubs in Colombia and the Middle East in favour of West Ham.
“We knew he was an export-quality player. When the Premier League offer came, it was at another level.”
Venezuelan analyst Richard Mendez labelled Keiber Lamadrid a ‘top dribbler’ whose impressive end-product helped him stand out among his peers. Like Traore, he will bring a turn of pace and a willingness to run at full-backs.
Adama Traore thinks West Ham will STAY up 👀 How much more confident are you now that we’ve signed him?
Hit the comments on how you actually feel, I know he divides opinion 😂
Jordan is similarly enthusiastic. Lamadrid’s ability to play in a number of different positions and in a number of different systems also stands him in good stead.
“In the beginning, he was a winger. Later, he played as a full-back and as a wing-back. He is [naturally] a wide player,” Jordan explains.
“He is a very direct winger in one-v-one situations, who can play on both flanks or as a playmaker. When we played 5-3-2, he could play as an interior midfielder to drive the team forward because he has great ball-carrying ability.
“It’s hard to take the ball off him. He has great dribbling and can finish with his right foot even though he is a lefty!
“Visually, Keiber isn’t always the one who stands out the most immediately. But if you look at the metrics, Keiber’s numbers were the best for an Under-23 player in the league last year.”
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