The West Ham United faithful always knew they had something special in Divin Mubama, so his prolific Premier League 2 record since leaving for Manchester City is proof the fans never really required.
In just nine matches, the England Under 20 international has 10 goals alongside four assists.
A brace in Manchester City’s 4-0 crushing of the Newcastle reserves last weekend not only saw Divin Mubama break into double figures, it also secured his place on April’s Premier League 2 Player of the Month shortlist.
Whether Mubama has a future in the Man City first-team – a back-up, potentially, to Erling Haaland – remains to be seen. The Athletic suggested recently that Man City only signed Mubama because they needed a striker to lead the line for their reserves at Under 23 level.
His role beyond here is anyone’s guess.
But if the rumours are true, perhaps the Newham-born 20-year-old will end up wishing he could turn back the clock to the summer of 2024.
Mubama and West Ham could not agree terms on a new contract. Thus, allowing the gifted centre-forward to swap London for Manchester.
Fortunately, even without Mubama – one of the hottest centre-forwards in academy football over the last few seasons – Mark Robson’s latest generation of West Ham United starlets have still enjoyed a season of real progress.
West Ham’s Lewis Orford and Kamarai Swyer face Divin Mubama awards battle
While Mubama fires Man City to the top of the Premier League 2 table, the young Hammers are sitting in a respectable fourth-place spot.
A 4-1 defat to Manchester United in the Premier League 2 play-off quarter-finals was a blow – Robson was ‘really disappointed’ by the manner in which the Red Devils pulled clear early in the second-half – but the inclusion of not one but two claret and blue kids in Player of the Month contention is testament to the fine work done behind the scenes.
Joining Mubama on the shortlist is Lewis Orford and Kamarai Swyer.
Orford struck a brace against Crystal Palace. Both of those goals, meanwhile, were assisted by Swyer. They combined again during a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough before Orford and Swyer then led the 3-1 destruction of Sunderland in the Premier League 2 play-off last-16 tie.
Described as an ‘unbelievable’ talent by the official West Ham website, Lewis Orford idolises legendary Hammers skipper Mark Noble.
The way in which he has lead by example at youth-team level, meanwhile, has made an admirer out of captain-turned-sporting director Noble.
“I’ve known Lewis for a long time,” Noble says of Orford, vice-captain of Robson’s charges and a midfielder often likened to a pre-fame Declan Rice. “I’ve watched him train and play as a kid. He’s a fantastic passer of the ball. And what excites me is that he’s still got so much to learn.
“It’s crucial that we continue to provide the best possible pathways for our young talent. It’s a tradition of the Club. We’ve got such a good crop of talent coming through, and it’s so important that these boys see their future with us.
“I’m really pulling for Lewis Orford, and am desperate for him to succeed at West Ham.”
Kamarai Swyer has 18 goals and assists for Mark Robson’s Hammers
As for Orford’s free-scoring sparring partner, Kamarai Swyer was labelled West Ham’s ‘One to Watch’ before that eventual defeat to Manchester United.
He could yet end the season with 20 goal contributions.
Three years after Sonny Perkins beat Cole Palmer, Alejandro Garnacho and co to claim April’s Premier League 2 Player of the Year award back in 2022, the West Ham bosses do not need telling that a fine track record at youth level is no guarantee of a future in the elite level of the senior game.
But as Orford and Swyer go from strength to strength, Oliver Scarles’ emergence as a first-team regular under Graham Potter could soon be emulated by a number of other bright young things outgrowing the relatively small pond of youth-team football.
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