Ollie Scarles is still just a teenager, but West Ham United’s baby-faced left-back is already emerging as something of an inspiration for the next generation of talent at the Premier League outfit.
Despite only making his senior debut in December, Ollie Scarles won the Young Player of the Year award while ending the 2024/25 campaign with 15 top-flight appearances under his belt.
There are plenty of other youngsters behind the scenes at Rush Green who would relish a similar breakthrough over the coming months.
Kaelan Casey and Lewis Orford may be next in line. The reserve-team regulars have been promoted to Graham Potter’s first-team squad and were spotted training in the gym alongside Jarrod Bowen and co this week.
The likes of Mason Terry, Patrick Kelly, Gideon Kodua, George Earthy and Freddie Potts took a different route, albeit with the same destination in mind; a senior role in Potter’s West Ham United plans.
Goalkeeper Terry kept 17 clean sheets on loan at non-league Hornchurch. Patrick Kelly won the League Two title at Doncaster Rovers.
Gideon Kodua helped Wycombe reach the play-offs, while Potter has promised George Earthy a chance after he picked up the Young Player of the Year gong at Bristol City.
Potts is another who returns to West Ham a more confident, mature, experienced footballer; all the better for a temporary spell away from the London Stadium.
Freddie Potts and James Maddison in action during Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United - Pre-Season Friendly
Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images
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Freddie Potts plans to emulate Ollie Scarles at West Ham United
Speaking to the club’s official website on Friday, Freddie Potts plans to make his mark on Graham Potter in pre-season, starting with next week’s clash with Swiss outfit Grasshopper Zurich.
“[Potter] has shown that he will give Academy players a chance,” says the Barking-born 21-year-old. “You only have to look at what Ollie [Scarles] achieved last season.
“Ollie’s an incredible player, so to see him do well in the first-team and to be given the chance and have that faith in him from the manager is something that is really exciting for me because I’m looking to do the same myself and get my Premier League debut and embark on the same journey.
“The only thing on my mind is to be playing for West Ham. So to see that players are being given the opportunities is something that’s really special for me, and it’s really exciting.
“There is a clear pathway, but it’s down to me to show that I’ve got that hunger and desire to get into the first team. That’s what I’m going to try and do.”
Potts admits there are similarities with Mexico captain Edson Alvarez
Potts, whose father Steve works as an assistant coach for West Ham’s Under-21 side, made most of his 37 Championship appearances for Portsmouth in a somewhat deep-lying central midfield role.
Only four Pompey players averaged more tackles per game than his 1.7, or more than his tally of seven yellow cards.
Unsurprisingly, legendary captain and now sporting director Mark Noble is a big fan of Freddie Potts. There are similarities between Potts and Noble during his own playing days in claret and blue.
A more modern comparison, though, can be made with Edson Alvarez; the Mexico captain who established himself as the finest ‘number six’ in Dutch football before joining the Hammers in a £35 million deal two summers’ ago.
“I would never compare myself at all to anyone in the Premier League because they’re all top players, but I like the way Edson plays,” Potts adds. “I think he’s a really aggressive player and sort of matches me in the way I like to play.
“My personality definitely changes once I’m on the pitch. I like his aggressive side of the game and the tackles he can make, and the way he can control the game as well is something that I really like watching.
“So I’d probably say there are a few similarities to him.”