News of something of a ‘statement’ signature of another high profile youngster at West Ham bodes well for the future: I wonder how much of this had to do with Graham Potter’s sacking and the appointment of [Nuno Espirito Santo](https://www.claretandhugh.info/likely-to-start-his-first-game-nuno-ready-to-promote-from-the-naughty-step/) in his place.
The new Hammers coach has already given game time to academy graduates Freddie Potts and Callum Marshall – more than Potter did this season in just two games.
The appointment of a tranche of West Ham academy coaches to the senior assistant manager coaching roles supporting Espirito Santo also bodes well for youngsters who won’t be struggling to make an impression on the clubs senior management – they are well known now to his assistants.
West Ham talent now sees a clear path through to first team success under Nuno
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The forthcoming announcement that young hugely talented defender **Airidas Golambekis** has just signed a new ‘multi-year deal’ (courtesy of [thewesthamway.com](https://www.thewesthamway.com/2025/10/20/multi-year-deal-exwhuemployee-west-ham-academy-star-pens-contract/)) is a positive litmus test for the state of the Academy/ Seniors relationship.
Graduates can now see their future path through to first team football : Something that was unthinkable under Lopetegui and hardly better under Potter.
Espirito Santo’s deployment of young talent has already started to pay off: Next will be the harder job of convincing **George Earthy** to put pen to paper, The midfielder its currently injured and his contract is due to expire in the summer.
Watching his fellow academy graduates Potts and Callum Marshall hopefully getting game time tonight can only be frustrating for Earthy, 21, out with a hamstring injury. But the news that young Golambekis is signing a new contract certainly indicates the direction of travel and now-blossoming relationship between Mark Noble’s talented youngsters and the senior coaching set up. Amen to that.