How West Ham will feel about Michael Forbes exit call as Dundee United exploits revealed

Michael Forbes was released by West Ham United this summer.

The 22-year-old central defender left Northern Irish football to join the Hammers in the summer of 2020.

Over the following years, he would become a key player in the Irons' Under-18s, before eventually stepping up to Under-21 level.

However, Forbes was never able to make a competitive first-team appearance during his time in E20.

With his contract expiring at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, West Ham chiefs made the decision to part ways with the Northern Ireland international.

Scottish Premiership side Dundee United took a chance on him, and they've been greatly rewarded for doing so.

Where Michael Forbes leads all Scottish Premiership rivals in 2026-27

It's only natural for every football club to see a young player slip through their fingers every now and then.

Especially at a club like West Ham, where the Academy of Football is an uber-competitive environment and first-team progression is tough.

Forbes, then, shouldn't feel any shame for not quite making the grade with the Hammers, but Irons decision-makers perhaps underestimated his talent.

Since moving to Dundee United, Forbes has played every single minute of their seven Scottish Premiership games so far.

Per FotMob, no centre-back in Scotland's top flight has won more duels (61), aerial duels (45) or taken more headed shots (seven) than Forbes this term.

Meanwhile, he also ranks in the top 4.7 per cent for his 16 touches in the opposition box and the leading 9.3 per cent for his 24 accurate long balls.

Forbes also places amongst the best in his position for his 77 defensive contributions, nine tackles, 51 clearances and 506 touches.

But what has Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin said about Forbes, and why is his prediction for him already starting to come true?

Why was Goodwin confident of Forbes success story?

Nuno Espirito Santo may not have seen a starting calibre player in Forbes at West Ham, and that's understandable.

The Hammers boss didn't particularly have the luxury of taking risks when it came to constructing his squad for the Championship over the summer.

As a result, this summer was perhaps the worst possible time for Forbes to see his West Ham contract expiring,

Speaking via Dundee United's website, Goodwin evidently saw Forbes' true potential away from the London Stadium.

"Michael is a player we've admired for some time and we're delighted to bring him to Dundee United," he said.

"He possesses all the attributes you look for in a modern defender. He's physically strong, dominant in the air, comfortable on the ball and has shown real leadership qualities throughout his development.

"For someone still so young, he already has valuable experience at both club and international level, and we believe there's significant room for further growth in his game.

"We're excited to work with Michael and provide the platform for him to continue progressing.

"We believe Dundee United is the ideal environment for him to fulfil his potential."