The West Ham United youngster is the real deal and deserves a chance to prove that.
West Ham United fans have been keen to see Spanish striker Toni Martinez in action for the first-team for quite some time, and this month could finally see the 20-year-old make his senior bow.
The Hammers take on Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the EFL Cup on 19 September and West Ham boss Slaven Bilic would be wise to throw Martinez into the starting line-up and see what he can do.
After all, the youngster wasted little time impressing for West Ham’s under-23 side following his arrival from Valencia, scoring 16 goals in just 17 matches.
A loan spell at Oxford United last time out also proved his worth, with Martinez scoring three goals and providing two assists, including FA Cup strikes against both Newcastle United and Middlesbrough.
While West Ham now have additional goal-scoring options in the form of Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic, the EFL Cup gives Bilic the perfect chance to blood his youngsters.
It has been a long time coming, with the Hammers possessing some of the best academy players in the country, and now should be the time that Bilic finally puts his trust in them.
Martinez has all the attributes to excel long-term at the London Stadium, yet as with so many of the club’s prospects, he is only going to develop if he gets game time in the years ahead.
Now is the time for his debut and it will be interesting to see just how many of West Ham’s next generation get the nod later this month.
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