Ben Johnson, Xande Silva and Goncalo Cardoso are all training with West Ham United’s first team with David Moyes keen to check out the strength of his squad ahead of ‘Project Re-start’, according to Football London.
The Hammers have one of the proudest academy systems in English football though it’s fair to say, apart from Declan Rice of course, not many have risen through the ranks to establish themselves as first-team stars in claret and blue of late.
Jeremy Ngakia did look set to make the grade but, according to The Mail, he has rejected a £20,000-a-week contract and will leave the London Stadium in July – just five months after making his first-team debut.
Ngakia’s impending departure does open the door for another U23 star, 20-year-old Johnson, to stake his claim however.
The nephew of Paul Parker and cousin of Ledley King, the London-born youngster certainly comes from good stock.
And with Pablo Zabaleta set to retire, Ryan Fredericks struggling with injury and Ngakia out of action, Johnson could be in line to make his first Premier League appearance since February 2019 next week.
Football London add that two never-before-seen starlets are also in Moyes’s sights – centre-back Cardoso and skilful forward Silva.
The Portuguese duo have impressed at reserve team level since moving to the English capital from Portugal.
Silva, at 23, is at a crossroads in his career after a long spell on the sidelines with injury. A £3 million man who shot to fame with a hat-trick against Tottenham in late 2018 is under pressure to make the step up to first-team level sooner rather than later.
Fortunately, Moyes appears to be a fan.
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