The West Ham United youngster must seize his chance with a lack of effective goal-scoring options around him.
It is fair to say that West Ham United did not impress when it came to signing new strikers back in the summer.
While a move for Ashley Fletcher was celebrated as securing a promising player for the future, the loan deals that brought Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza to the London Stadium left a lot to be desired.
With neither loanee impressing thus far, and with Andy Carroll’s injury problems continuing, now could be the perfect chance for Fletcher to seize his opportunity and prove he can fulfil his potential ahead of time.
Fletcher was highly rated at Manchester United and the club did not want to let him go, but now he has the chance to prove he made the right choice by opting for the Hammers.
Having impressed at under-23 level for West Ham, the coming weeks should give Fletcher the chance to make his mark in the first-team, and let’s face it he cannot do much worse than Zaza.
The Italian has the work rate but he does not have the goals to go with it, and Fletcher must follow the example of his former United teammate Marcus Rashford in making himself indispensable to his new club.
Rashford came in when there were no other options at Old Trafford, and Fletcher may face the same situation at West Ham.
He possesses innate talent and real ability in front of goal and now is his time.
With West Ham likely to strengthen in January, Fletcher has six weeks to prove he should remain in the first-team fold and who better to put the finishing touches to the chances Dimitri Payet is still laying on despite concerns over the Frenchman’s form this season?
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