Samuelsen will link up with his Hammers mate at Ewood Park.
West Ham United teenager Martin Samuelsen has told Blackburn Rovers’ website that his Hammers teammate and current Rovers loanee Stephen Hendrie was influential in convincing him to make a temporary switch to Ewood Park.
Samuelsen agreed a season-long loan deal to join the Lancashire club on Thursday as he looks to gain further first-team experience.
The 19-year-old Norwegian international has featured just twice for the Hammers’ first team, with both of his appearances coming in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League last season.
He has now made the switch to Rovers as he looks to gain a full season of senior action under his belt.
At his new temporary home he will link up with his West Ham reserve team teammate Stephen Hendrie, as well as fellow former Manchester City youth Jack Byrne, and he admitted that both players had a big influence on his decision.
Samuelsen told rovers.co.uk: “I’m really happy to be here and I hope I can help and do well this season. It is a club with a big history, nice training facilities, and a nice stadium, and I knew a few of the players who are here from before. Then when I spoke to the manager I was sold.
“I know Jack Byrne from my time at Manchester City, and also Stephen Hendrie who I’ve played with at West Ham. I spoke to them both and they said only good things about Blackburn.
“It is a good thing knowing them, it will make it easier to settle in and hopefully I’ll get to know the other lads quickly.”
He may not have played very much senior football, but in Samuelsen both West Ham and now Blackburn have a supremely talented teenage footballer on their hands.
He will be hoping that he can build a reputation for himself at Blackburn and return to the London Stadium ready to become a genuine part of the first-team picture.
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