Leicester deal to sign George Earthy mooted after West Ham development
George Earthy looks destined to become one of the next West Ham youth products to break through into the first team squad over the next few years.
He briefly got a taste of senior action for the Hammers in the 2023/24 campaign, when he made three appearances in the Premier League, and even scored his first professional goal.
The midfielder has since made great strides in his development during a loan deal with Bristol City this season, where he featured regularly for the Robins throughout the campaign.
Earthy’s form at Ashton Gate earned him a first ever call-up to the England U21s squad back in November, which represented another major development in his journey towards becoming a Premier League player.
Leicester tipped to target Earthy if West Ham opt for another loan
Earthy recovered from a slow start during his loan spell in the Championship this season and had established himself as a fan favourite at Bristol City towards the end of the campaign.
His progress will have caught the eye of Hammers’ boss Graham Potter, who will surely have an eye on integrating him into the first team squad over the next few years.
That integration may come as early as this summer, but if the East London outfit opt to loan him out again, Leicester Mercury journalist Jordan Blackwell wrote in his newspaper (12 June, pg. 46) that he’d like to see him head to the King Power Stadium.
Earthy’s improvement in the latter stages of the season indicates that he could be ready to be an influential figure throughout an entire season for a Championship side next term.
Leicester may not be the best option for Earthy
If West Ham decide that Earthy is better suited to spending next season out on loan again, then they would surely be tempted to look at potential alternative options to Leicester.
The Foxes are likely to undergo a transition period having been relegated from the Premier League, but will still be expected to compete at the very top of the division.
While that level of pressure could be useful in preparing Earthy for his future at the London Stadium, his parent club would surely be better served sending him out to a team where he would be the main man.
If Earthy did move to Leicester, he would face plenty of competition for a starting berth, whereas if he went back out to a side competing on the fringes of the play-off spots, he would likely be able to clock up a significant number of starts.
As the midfielder begins to near Potter’s first team plans in E17, the club must be particularly careful to ensure that they make the decisions which best for Earthy himself at each stage of his development.