Since the breakout of Declan Rice last season, West Ham fans have been scratching their head wondering who will be next to lay their mark in the first-team from the youth academy, and supporters might have just found their guy.
Nathan Holland’s solo goal against Brentford B for the Hammers U-23 side was an effort well praised on social media by supporters, but it isn’t the first time the 21-year-old has found himself in the spotlight.
In an interview with The Evening Standard, former academy manager Terry Westley compared Holland to Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs as well as former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman, saying: “When you have the chance to laud these young players then you have to do it – and he did remind me of a young Ryan Giggs.
“Nathan has that rare quality of being able to run as quickly with the ball as without it, and that is very unusual. He covers the ground with the ball, a little like Steve McManaman did for Liverpool.”
With supporters still on a high of Rice’s success last season and fellow youth academy player Grady Diangana flourishing out on loan with West Brom, it seemingly appears that it is written in the stars for another youngster to make a name for themselves with West Ham, and Holland could be that player.
Primarily a left-winger, the former Everton youth star has impressed ever since making the move to east London, scoring seven goals and assisting 11 in 34 appearances for West Ham at youth level as numbers from Transfermakrt show, and with only one recognised left-sided attacker in the first-team in Felipe Anderson, Holland could be a youngster Manuel Pellegrini opts to bring in to the senior squad for cover.
Holland is a player of immense talent, with his solo effort against Brentford a testament to that statement, and after the success of Rice last year, this season could be the winger’s time to introduce himself to the first-team picture.
