David Moyes says he will not stand in the way of West Ham United’s youngsters if they get a chance to go and develop their careers elsewhere.
That has been the case for two Hammers academy players this week who completed permanent transfers to Football League clubs.
Pierre Ekwah is now with Championship side Sunderland. A loan deal was initially being considered before the two clubs agreed on a permanent move, with Ekwah signing a four-and-a-half year contract with the Black Cats.
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Ekwah featured on the West Ham first-team bench twice this season and played in a mid-season friendly against Cambridge United, coming off the bench to score in the 4-2 win. In Premier League 2, the midfielder played 11 games for the U21s, scoring five goals and providing one assist.
Will Greenidge was the next to depart, signing for League Two side Colchester United on Friday (January 27). Again, a loan move was considered but the defender joins the U’s on a permanent basis, signing a two-and-a-half year contract.
The 20-year-old never made a first -team appearance for the club, playing 78 times for the U21s and U18s combined in Premier League 2, the U18s Premier League, FA Youth Cup and Papa Johns Trophy.
“Some of the young players outgrow the U21s,” Moyes told football.london . “Pierre probably comes into that category. He’s had a year-and-a-half, two years, he’s not really featured with us.
“You look at the standard of midfield players, Tomas [Soucek], Declan [Rice], now [Lucas] Paqueta, it’s really difficult to break through that. We bring Flynn [Downes] in as well, out of the Championship.
“Will, it’s a good chance for him to go out and play at a level and develop his career. The biggest thing I feel as a manager is you want all your young players to get a career, whether it’s 15 years in the lower leagues, I really hope that’s what they do if they are not quite able to be at the top.
“If we think we can get people out on loan who can come back and be first-team players then we will do that as well. If boys who have maybe played ten or 15 games in U21s get a chance to go into the big leagues we wouldn’t really stand in their way if we think it’s right.”
Ekwah was thrown straight into the Sunderland matchday squad for the FA Cup fourth round tie against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday. The former Hammers youngster came on in the 77th minute to make his Black Cats debut in a 1-1 draw.
Greenidge also made the bench for his new club, with Colchester United in League Two action at Hartlepool United, but did not feature in the U's 2-1 win.
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