Fans of Premier League underachievers West Ham United have been clamouring for Marcus Browne to be given a chance by David Moyes.
West Ham United fans haven’t had much to cheer about of late but the rise of Marcus Browne should at least provide some optimism at the London Stadium.
The Hammers might boast one of the most reputable academy systems in English football but there has been a real lack of talent emerging into the first-team in recent seasons with the likes of Reece Burke, Domingos Quina, Toni Martinez and Reece Oxford threatening to break through but never really managing to take that next step.
Though Browne could buck that trend. The winger has been in magnificent form for Terry Westley’s U23s of late, following a stunning free-kick against Manchester City with a four-goal haul against Everton.
The report claims that 20-year-old Browne has a contract until 2020 at the moment and is valued at £5 million. But a number of talented English youngsters have headed aboard of late, including Arsenal duo Marcus McGuane and Chris Willock, and West Ham will be praying they don’t get caught out by this growing trend.
Browne has only played 15 minutes of senior football in his career, against Astra Giurgiu in that ill-fated Europa League qualifier in 2016.
But reports that West Ham see Browne as a star for the future, and are doing everything to keep him at the London Stadium, is the perfect response to critics who have lambasted the way the club has been run in recent seasons. And, after local rivals Arsenal lost two of their biggest talents to Barcelona and Benfica, The Hammers should be applauded for putting baricades in place.
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