Teenager Alex Pike made just one senior appearance for West Ham.
West Ham United have announced on their official website that teenage defender Alex Pike has mutually agreed to leave the club after struggling to break into the first team – and Hammers fans have reacted on Twitter.
The 21-year-old managed just one senior appearance for the east Londoners, coming on as a late substitute in a Europa League qualifier against Astra Giurgiu in August 2015.
Instead, the London-born right-back has remained a prominent member of the Hammers’ second string during his years since graduating from the academy. He has clocked up 57 appearances for the development side.
However, it just was not supposed to be with the likes of Sam Byram and Pablo Zabaleta ahead of him in the pecking order. Though the two have picked up injuries, the preference has been to use Cheikhou Kouyate instead of Pike at right-back.
The majority of West Ham fans wished Pike the best of luck in his career after 11 years with the Hammers, while a handful of fans questioned the timing of Pike’s release.
One fan stated that he always thought Pike was only an “injury away” from breaking into the Hammers first team.
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