Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Tue 7 April 2026 12:10, UK

West Ham United’s swoop for Keiber Lamadrid makes even less sense after Nuno Espirito Santo opted not to use him during the FA Cup knockout by the hands of Leeds United.

The young Venezuelan is currently on loan at the London Stadium but has barely got a look-in under Nuno, making just one first-team appearance to date.

The winger joined until the end of the campaign from Deportivo La Guaira in his home country and initially began in the academy set-up, before being drafted into the senior crop.

He was part of an attacking overhaul in E20, joining Taty Castellanos, Adama Traore and Pablo at Rush Green during the summer, but has remained very much on the fringes.

Lamadrid’s future at West Ham was already unclear, but in light of his snub against Leeds on Sunday, he now looks all but certain to return to his parent club after a wasted 12 months.

Nuno Espirito Santo overlooked Keiber Lamadrid

The closest the 22-year-old has come to making his debut in the Premier League came after he was named on the bench for the 1-0 victory at Fulham back on March 4.

So, while the Hammers hold the option to turn the deal permanent, they are unlikely to do so, having seen next to nothing of the talented forward in action to date.

That looked set to change after Lamadrid hinted at a potential start against Leeds in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the weekend, but in the end, he did not play a single minute.

This is despite Lamadrid’s agent, Karim Assafo, openly declaring that he had been brought in as a first-team signing, rather than an addition designed to bulk out the Under-21s.

Increasingly, the logic behind the switch is becoming less coherent. Serious questions must be asked about the reasons, regardless of the limited finances invested.

It has been a relatively pointless experiment for both the club and the player, and it would be no surprise if Lamadrid’s development had taken a significant hit as a result.

Lamadrid deserves more chances

Of course, Nuno was determined to reinforce his frontline in the winter in his bid to chart West Ham’s course to safety, but Lamadrid was clearly not the right target.

To this day, no explanation has been given for the signing, aside from the usual spiel about the ace’s ability, but the fact that he has made just one appearance speaks volumes.

His sole start so far, which came against Burton Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup, was steady enough and hinted that, given more opportunities, he would make an impact.

There remain concerns around Crysencio Summerville, who missed out on the loss to Leeds through injury, so, at least on paper, there are gaps Lamadrid can step in to fill.

Last season, he made 33 appearances, scoring eight goals and registering six assists. According to Sofascore, he also chalked up an average of 1.9 shots per game.

It is obvious that he is a real talent, but West Ham do not look likely to help him progress. Drawing a line under the gamble as soon as possible would benefit everyone involved.