Former Linfield youngster Callum Marshall has hit the ground running at West Ham United.
The 17-year-old made the move earlier this month and has made an instant impression with the Premier League club's academy.
Marshall scored his fourth goal in as many games for the young Hammers on Tuesday afternoon as they beat Birmingham City 3-1.
That means the Northern Ireland youngster has scored in every game he's played since making the move from Windsor Park.
Marshall was also on target on Saturday as West Ham's Under 18 side beat Fulham 3-1. He scored a late third, his goal arriving in the 90th minute as the young Hammers side recorded a fifth straight win in U18 Premier League South.
Marshall was on target in his Hammers debut against West Brom, and then backed it up with a goal in his second appearance against Arsenal.
U18s assistant coach Gerard Prenderville told the club's website: “What was brilliant for me was that all of the goals were in and around the six-yard box or the penalty spot. They weren’t fantastic goals from outside or screamers, they were all scrappy, determined ones.
“It’s the scrappy ones that Divin (Mubama) and George (Earthy) and Callum are adding to their game, being in the right place at the right time.
“You can get the beautiful ones too, but the scrappy ones count just as much – I think all three goals would have had a combined distance of about 12 yards!”
Former Linfield teen Marshall - who is also a graduate of the hugely successful Irish FA JD Academy run by Andy Waterworth - is being tipped for big things across the water.
Speaking in a recent interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Marshall said he was loving life at the Hammers.
He said: “It’s all been good so far. I’m getting up to pace with training and the boys have been great. I went with the lads to the first-team game against Norwich on Wednesday. The club has been brilliant.
“Scott Boyd, who has been a scout and coach, helped me with the move. I came over a few months ago for a few days but I didn’t play competitive games as I didn’t have international clearance.
“I did well in training and got told on the second last day they were going to offer me a two-and-a-half-year deal — a year and a half scholarship and year’s professional deal.”
