Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Thu 26 March 2026 19:40, UK

West Ham United youngster Lewis Orford was spotted taking part in first-team training.

The 20-year-old has been in the Irons’ academy since the age of five, but despite being hailed as one of the set-up’s most talented players, he has not broken into the senior picture.

He started the campaign on loan at Stevenage but was recalled to the London Stadium after playing just 16 minutes in League One – a significant dampener on his development.

Since returning in November, he has regularly impressed for the Under-21s and earned his reward after being asked to make up the numbers during Nuno Espirito Santo’s drills.

Orford still faces an uncertain future at West Ham, but he now has the chance to make a direct impression on the head coach ahead of the make-or-break Premier League run-in.

What did Lewis Orford do in West Ham training?

The midfielder is one of the more experienced members in the U-21s dressing room, but has played just three times for the first-team.

Clearly, that will have to change one way or another – and soon.

Nuno will be able to cast his eye over Orford and a couple of his academy team-mates this week, with the trio rubbing shoulders with senior players not on international duty.

In a video posted on West Ham’s YouTube channel on Wednesday, Orford was seen being put through his paces, while Tom Wooster and Lanre Awesu were also present.

Orford didn’t look out of place despite competing with the likes of Taty Castellanos, Axel Disasi, Adama Traore and Max Kilman, all of whom were not called up by their countries.

He had scored during West Ham’s National League Cup final defeat by Boreham Wood last week and will now set his sights on at least taking on a fringe role in the first-team.

The attacking midfielder has now netted six goals and registered five assists in his 16 U-21 matches this season, with boss Greg Lincoln able to get the best out of him.

Nuno will hope to do exactly the same before making a decision on his future.

Taty Castellanos already under pressure

Castellanos might have been bitterly disappointed to be taking part in the same session, having been overlooked for an Argentina call-up in a blow to his World Cup chances.

The Irons’ 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa last time out was the ninth match in which the striker did not score, and his inconsistency is becoming a very real – and expensive – issue.

While he is Nuno’s first-choice striker, his tendency to drift into wider and deeper positions has left his team without a focal point, which is crucial in a relegation fight.

With just two goals to his name in 11 matches, it has not been the start Castellanos would have wanted at West Ham. As a result, Nuno should seriously weigh up dropping him.