Three goals in four games has left West Ham United boss David Moyes perplexed. In preseason play as far, Divin Mubama, is putting up a compelling case for why he should be promoted to the first team. The striker scored in three victories: the 3-2 victory against Tottenham Hotspur, the 6-2 victory over Perth Glory, and the 2-2 draw with Dagenham & Redbridge.
Mubama made his Premier League debut against Arsenal on Boxing Day of the previous campaign. The England Under-19 international scored his debut goal against AEK Larnaca in the UEFA Conference League’s round of 16 in March. In 24 games with the under-21s, he scored 16 goals and assisted in the under-18s’ first FA Youth Cup victory since 1999.
Prior to their tour of Australia, Moyes and his backroom staff set a challenge for the young players Mubama, Lang, Potts, Jacob and George Earthy after their 4-1 friendly victory over non-League team Boreham Wood. Mubama was the one who consistently caught their attention.
The first professional contract Mubama signed, which expires in the summer of 2024 but contains a renewal option, was with West Ham when he was eight years old. Although Antonio, Gianluca Scamacca, and Danny Ings are the first three strikers on the team, it is still unknown what Antonio’s long-term plans are.
The 33-year-old is nearing the final year of his contract and has drawn interest from Saudi Arabia’s Al Ettifaq and Turkish club Galatasaray. In January, Antonio came very close to leaving, but Moyes persuaded him to stay. With 14 goals, the striker finished the 2022–23 season as the team’s leading goal scorer across all competitions.
Divin Mubama, The New Future Of West Ham?
After helping Jamaica advance to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals, Antonio is yet to come back to West Ham training. He will decide whether to do so next week. Scamacca spoke about wanting to rejoin his old team Roma earlier this month in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, but Moyes is likely to keep the Italian international in mind for this year.
Mubama has always been thought of as a bright future star at the academy. He attended the first team’s preseason tour to Evian, France, last summer with the intention of making an impression. He did so by scoring in the opening preseason game against Servette. He received the Mark Noble Young Hammer of the Year award last season as a result of his growth.
The majority of academy graduates have struggled to adjust to playing first-team football. However, Mubama has already demonstrated his skill, and he may further increase his chances in future friendlies against Rennes and Bayer Leverkusen, which will come before West Ham’s league debut against Bournemouth on August 12. The youthful forward has no plans to slow down after this season’s explosive start.
