OPINION
West Ham United have had high hopes for young Spanish striker Toni Martinez since he arrived from Valencia in 2016, but the 21-year-old is yet to really live up to those expectations.
The young striker has managed just three first-team appearances for the club in that two-year period, instead heading out on loan twice to Oxford United and Real Valladolid.
The starlet has now secured his third loan exit from the London Stadium, joining Segunda Division side Rayo Majadahonda for the entirety of the 2018/19 season, as reported on the club’s official website.
And, despite club insider ExWHUemployee claiming that the club are open to a return for the 21-year-old striker, this in truth looks like a move that has sealed Martinez’s long-term fate at West Ham.
Martinez has been given ample chances to impress club bosses both during his time with the development squad and out on loan, and the young Spaniard has obviously not done enough to convince anyone of his first-team potential.
Obviously the club’s transfer business this summer made it harder for any one of the club’s youth players to break through, but striker is not a position in which the Hammers are flush with options.
Marko Arnautovic is clearly first-choice up front with Chicharito a close second, while new signing Lucas Perez will be keen to impress early on following his move from Arsenal.
However, with Andy Carroll’s injury problems and Jordan Hugill’s exit there was most definitely a huge opportunity for a young player to force his way into Manuel Pellegrini’s over the summer, but Martinez obviously did not do so.
While he is still young at 21 years old, there has unfortunately been little evidence of much progress by Martinez, and the fact that he has only managed to secure a loan at a second-tier Spanish club shows the level he is currently at.
This is not to write the youngster off completely, but he most certainly has his work cut out if he wants to make that all-important breakthrough into the Hammers first-team at all.
