OPINION
West Ham United have completed their second signing of the January transfer window after 19-year-old winger Mesaque Dju joined on a free transfer from Benfica on Wednesday.
As reported on their official website, the Portugal youth international has penned a three-and-a-half year deal with the Hammers after leaving his boyhood club, and will start life in London as part of the Under-23 setup.
Dju becomes the latest in a line of young Portuguese players to be a part of the West Ham academy, with Domingos Quina now at Watford while Xande Silva has already graduated to the first-team.
And it is Silva who Dju will be looking to emulate, with the 21-year-old winger having only joined up in the summer before making his first-team debut earlier this month.
Sam Inkersole, West Ham correspondent for football.london, has given a bit more detail on Dju’s move to east London, and has opened the door to the possibility of that happening.
Understand there is a 2.5yr option in Mesaque Dju’s contract as well. He’s been on the radar of the scouting staff for a while, #WHUFC believe he has what it takes to step up to senior level in the not too distant future. pic.twitter.com/hHENw79dcM
— Sam Inkersole (@Sam_InkersoleTM) January 30, 2019
The fact that the club believe Dju can make the step up to the first-team in the near future shows the kind of potential they see in him, and that really mirrors their thoughts on Silva when he arrived in the summer.
Dju is two years younger than his compatriot and may therefore take a bit more time to settle in and make an impact, but the perfect blueprint is there for him to thrive.
The two players are also very similar in their approach to the game, with both being strong wingers who can cross, cut inside, and have an eye for goal.
All the signs are there that Dju can emulate Silva, and that is exactly what the club will be hoping happens in the coming year or so as he settles into life in England.
