Use him or lose him is the warning to David Moyes over young star Divin Mubama from one of 36 scouts watching him at the youth cup semi-final.
During a miserable Premier League season for West Ham, the form of the club’s brilliant youth team has been a major highlight.
And particularly the rise of young striker star Divin Mubama.
The energetic and powerful young England forward has already had a taste of first team action, appearing in Europe, the FA Cup and the Premier League for West Ham.
Mubama scored in West Ham’s 3-0 away win at FCSB in Romania earlier this season but saw the strike taken away from him and registered as a own goal.
Nobody could take away his brilliant back-heel finish in the club’s last 16 second leg 4-0 cruise over AEK Larnaca, though.
Mubama then scored a superb hat-trick as he helped the Hammers’ Under 18s beat Southampton 6-1 to make it to their first FA Youth Cup final for 24 years in midweek.
West Ham captain Declan Rice recently revealed that manager David Moyes seriously rates Mubama.
Well it seems David Moyes is not alone.
Many West Ham fans have been urging Moyes to embrace Mubama’s finishing prowess, hunger, desire, positive attitude and effort levels and use him in the first team as the Hammers continue to struggle as an attacking force.
A host of highly-rated young West Ham starlets have left the club having grown frustrated by a lack of proper first team opportunities under Moyes including Sonny Perkins and Harrison Ashby – who left for Prem rivals Leeds and Newcastle respectively.
Now there is a use him or lose him warning to Moyes over young star Mubama from one of 36 scouts watching him at the youth cup semi-final.
The Daily Mail reported that a whopping 36 scouts were present at the London Stadium for the youth cup semi-final to run the rule over Mubama and others.
The throng of scouts came from clubs across the Premier League, elite European leagues and the Championship.
And they were suitably impressed. So much so there was a feeling in the press box that Mubama is more than ready for increased first team action.
Now one of those 36 scouts in attendance has spoken to Hammers News about Mubama and his situation.
The scout, who wishes to remain anonymous but is from one of West Ham’s rival Premier League clubs, says Moyes must involve him more and get him tied down because a host of clubs are seriously impressed and circling like vultures.
Use him or lose him warning to David Moyes over young star Divin Mubama from one of 36 scouts watching him at youth cup semi-final
“West Ham have plenty of good players in that youth side, which Mark Noble has alluded to recently, but let’s just say Mubama was the star name on the ticket for me and the others there,” the scout told Hammers News.
“I was not one bit surprised to see so many scouts in the box with me. Although it must be said that is pretty standard for an FA Youth Cup semi-final. I was actually around in the days of West Ham’s last FA Youth Cup final. I’m sure fans will remember when they sold out Upton Park in the semi to watch the side with Joe Cole and Michael Carrick thump Coventry, and it was the same in those days too (with lots of scouts attending), you wouldn’t be doing your job otherwise.
“Back then the likes of Cole and Carrick – and top young players like Gary McSheffrey and Chris Kirkland who were in the Coventry team – knew they would get a proper chance in the first team.
“The stakes are high at West Ham right now so it is difficult for a manager like Moyes who is, by all accounts, under pressure from what you see in the press. So it’s tough sometimes to find the right time to blood these hungry young stars.
“But Mubama more than lived up to expectations and looked like a man amongst boys out there. He was certainly the name at the top of my list when I reported back after the match.
“When you have a player like that coming through your academy the competition is so fierce across Europe now – particularly for young strikers because there is a real dearth of them at the top level – that it really is a case of use them or lose them. Especially if the players know their own ability and have itchy feet.”
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