West Ham have taken 16-year-old goalkeeper Krisztian Hegyi with them on their preseason training trip to Switzerland.
The 6’4″ teenager [Transfermarkt] signed for the Hammers back in May, with the club fending off interest from the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona for his signature, according to Football.London journalist Sam Inkersole.
The Hungarian stopper was spotted alongside new signing David Martin a picture shared by Football.London correspondent Sam Inkersole on Twitter.
He captioned the post: “Spotted: 16-year-old West Ham goalkeeper and “wonderkid” Krisztian Hegyi on the right here.
“Been with the first team in Switzerland for pre-season training.
“The Hammers saw off Inter, Man Utd & Barca for his signature in May that left keeper coach Xavi Valero ‘buzzing’.”
Spotted: 16-year-old #WHUFC goalkeeper and "wonderkid" Krisztian Hegyi on the right here. Been with the first team in Switzerland for pre-season training. The Hammers saw off Inter, Man Utd & Barca for his signature in May that left keeper coach Xavi Valero "buzzing" pic.twitter.com/xZcNYVAl56
— Sam Inkersole (@Sam_InkersoleTM) July 6, 2019
OPINION
Hegyi seems like a real prodigy. The Hungarian may still be a schoolboy, but at 6’4″ he is already more than physical enough to cope with the rigours of the senior game. He also looks to breaking out at just the right time. Lukasz Fabianski still has a handful of years left in him, and the two goalkeepers West Ham have already signed this summer, Rodrigo and Martin, are both relative veterans again. Beneath that trio, however, there is only really Nathan Trott, and if Hegyi is already out on first team preseason trips, who’s to say that he won’t be leapfrogging Trott and knocking on the door by the time Fabianski and co hang up their gloves. The fact that Hegyi was courted by the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona shows just how good he is, and in the official club statement that accompanied his arrival earlier this year, he is referred to as “one of the most highly-rated goalkeepers of his age in Europe” by goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero. If that is true, he could go a long way for the Irons.
