Opening day start mooted for West Ham United youngster Divin Mubama amid Michail Antonio ‘doubts’
Divin Mubama could be handed a start on the opening day of the season by West Ham manager David Moyes, according to GOAL’s Tom Maston.
The East London club kick off their new Premier League campaign with a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday (12 August).
And a start has been mooted for 18-year-old striker Mubama amid “doubts” regarding Michail Antonio and the exit of Gianluca Scamacca.
“The 18-year-old striker, who finished as the top scorer in the FA Youth Cup last season with eight goals as the Irons lifted the trophy, already has three Premier League appearances to his name, and scored his first senior goal in West Ham's triumphant Conference League campaign,” Maston wrote for GOAL.
“With his strong build, Mubama is physically ready for first-team action, and with doubts over Michail Antonio having emerged and Gianluca Scamacca on his way out of the London Stadium, the teenager could even be thrown in from the start on the opening day by David Moyes.”
Who will Moyes start?
Scamacca is certainly out of the question to lead the line against the Cherries, with the Italian international having completed a move to Serie A club Atalanta.
Antonio’s future at the London Stadium meanwhile is up in the air, while fellow forward Danny Ings really has failed to come to life in East London following his switch from Aston Villa in January.
Mubama has certainly shown glimpses of his potential in claret and blue, both last season and in pre-season this summer.
The youngster shone in the club’s youth setup last time out, as well as netting in the Europa Conference League for the senior side.
Whether or not he will be trusted by Moyes to start against Bournemouth, however, remains to be seen, with Ings and Antonio very much still West Ham players for the time being.
At 18, the youngster is only going to get better, but he would no doubt be feeling the pressure with a start on Saturday.