West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry can be a “Mark Noble” replacement – Terry Westley
Conor Coventry should be brought into the West Ham first-team next season as he is a “Mark Noble replacement” according to Terry Westley.
The 22-year-old is currently on loan in League One with MK Dons after having spent the first half of the season with Championship side Peterborough.
Former Hammers academy director Westley wants him to be given another chance at the club, having received updates from his former assistant and current Dons manager Liam Manning.
Westley told Claret&Hugh: “Liam tells me he’s better than the level he’s playing at right now and I’ve always seen him as a Mark Noble replacement.”
“He’s a very good player and the English lads like him enormously – I’d certainly want to see him have another season with the Hammers.”
The ex-youth coach feels that even another loan could be beneficial but does not want to see his prospects at the London Stadium end yet.
Late bloomer
There is sure to be a fair amount of change in the Hammers midfield over the summer and Coventry could be a part of that.
Skipper Noble is retiring after a legendary career for the club, and star man Declan Rice continues to be linked with a huge money transfer.
If both of those two were to leave it would mean the club was very short in the centre of the park, especially since non-factor Alex Kral won’t be around either, so it is no surprise Kalvin Phillips has been targeted.
But it a bit presumptuous to assume that Coventry can make the leap from a promising spell in the third-tier, where he just scored his first senior goal, to manning the midfield in the Premier League.
At his age, the next year or so is surely going to have a major bearing on whether he makes it at the top level.
If David Moyes has the confidence to give him opportunities it would make sense to keep him as a squad option, but if not then another crack at the Championship might be beneficial.
With his contract sent to run out at the end of next season, if the club haven’t seen enough from him come the summer he could be made available for permanent transfer.
In other West Ham news, there were positives to be taken in defeat as one Irons stalwart reached a century of appearances.
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