The West Ham United youngster looks to play a role under David Moyes and an injury to his teammate could see him fast-tracked.
As reported by Sky Sports, West Ham United’s Javier Hernandez suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty, leaving the field 51 minutes into Mexico’s clash with Belgium on Friday, and one wonders if that setback could give another Hammers player an early chance to impress under David Moyes.
West Ham fans have been calling for the inclusion of Toni Martinez for months, with the young Spaniard excelling at under-23 level, scoring 24 goals in 24 appearances at that level and looking every inch a star in the making.
Despite that fine form, Martinez was overlooked by former Hammers boss Slaven Bilic, but he was quickly called into the first-team fold under Moyes and could be fast-tracked into the match day squad if Hernandez is out for any length of time.
A place on the bench for West Ham’s upcoming league game against Watford was already possible, with Moyes likely to shake things up at the London Stadium in a bid to force the Hammers out of their lethargy. But if Hernandez misses out, there is a distinct chance Martinez could get some minutes.
That would be a timely turnaround for a player who is tipped for a very bright future and West Ham would be wise to make the most of that while they can.
Hernandez could recover in time, but the alternative may be even more exciting, with West Ham fans eager to see if Martinez can replicate his brilliant under-23 form at senior level.
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