Emmanuel Fejokwu exit exposes worrying issue West Ham must fix

But for West Ham United, Fejokwu’s move to Club Brugge is the latest in a growing – and concerning – list of youth-team exits.

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Fejokwu leaves for Club Brugge…

England U16 international Fejokwu bid farewell to the Hammers this week despite spending what he himself described as ‘nine wonderful years’ in East London.

Belgian giants Club Brugge confirmed the teenager’s arrival less than 48 hours later.

Emmanuel Fejokwu swaps West Ham United for Club Brugge

Now, it would be very interesting to hear exactly why Fejokwu felt his development would be better served in the Belgian capital, rather than its English equivalent.

When Emeka Adiele left West Ham for FC Utrecht in January, he put that down to a lack of first-team opportunities.

“I am happy that I got some playing time,” the jet-heeled left-back said after making his senior Eredivisie debut. “I want to secure a place in the first-team as soon as possible.

“At West Ham, I hadn’t played in the first team yet.”

In the case of Divin Mubama, the Premier League 2 Golden Boot winner felt he was better off at Man City, learning from Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland.

This is a funny one. Mubama played 18 first-team games under David Moyes, yet the narrative was that he wanted more minutes on the senior stage.

Two years and 117 Man City minutes later, the logic of such a decision has certainly proven itself to be flawed.

Elisha Sowunmi left West Ham for arch rivals Tottenham because he felt that the style of football played by Wayne Burnett with Spurs’ U21s suited him to a tee.

Sonny Perkins (Leeds), Aji Alese (Sunderland), Harrison Ashby (Newcastle), Divine Makasa and Jamal Baptiste (both Man City)… the list goes on.

Now, it should be said that West Ham succeeded in tying down Josh Ajala a few months ago in the face of interest from Germany and France. That, though, feels like the exception to the usual rule.

Fejokwu leaving for Club Brugge after nearly a decade in claret and blue? That is more the usual way of things.

Harry Redknapp bemoans the situation at West Ham

Speaking to Goal a fortnight ago, former Hammers coach Harry Redknapp put forward one potential explanation. Three years after West Ham battered Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup final, only one player from their starting XI – Ollie Scarles – has come close to nailing down a first-team spot.

Freddie Potts has come through recently, while Ezra Mayers racked up ten appearances last term under Nuno Espirito Santo. But, Redknapp points out, West Ham no longer feel like a club so committed to providing a pathway for the next generation.

“There’s not one kid from the academy in the first-team of West Ham. Where have the kids all gone?” asks a man who oversaw the breakthroughs of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe.

“They spend fortunes on academies, they’ve got all the facilities. Back in the day you had the South East Counties League in London; Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham, all the London clubs (with their) U18s.

“(These days) I don’t see any players. One here, one there. Other than that, where are they? Where are they at West Ham?”

Well, anywhere but West Ham, it seems.

Despite the rapid rise of Declan Rice, the likes of Adiele, Sowunmi, and Mubama clearly all felt that they would be better off elsewhere for the sake of their development. One can only assume that Fejokwu – joining a Club Brugge side who produced Senne Lammens, Charles de Ketelaere, Lois Openda and Chemsdine Talbi – came to a similar conclusion.

During his official unveiling on Saturday, Nils Koppen spoke about his ‘first focus’ at West Ham; constructing a squad capable of securing an escape out of the Championship before consolidating themselves in the top-flight.

The club’s new Director of Player Recruitment worked as a Youth Scout at PSV Eindhoven and KRC Genk, though, while also enjoying a stint as the Academy Manager at Lommel SK.

Maybe he can help West Ham put the plug back in the hole.

Until then, Fejokwu’s exit will raise more awkward questions from a fanbase who pride themselves upon a history of youth development.