Armstrong Okoflex faces a career defining 2022/23 campaign with West Ham United next season.
Okoflex joined West Ham on a free transfer from Celtic in the summer of 2021 and he made a huge impression at the London Stadium for the under-23s.
In other news…Report: West Ham offered Argentina international striker
David Moyes must be very excited about the Dublin-born teenager’s development since he swapped Glasgow for East London.
With Mark Robson at the helm of the under-23s, Okoflex is in very good hands. And if he continues along his current trajectory, West Ham will have a seriously good player on our hands.
The thing is, he’s 20 now. And if you haven’t made a splash in senior football at Premier League by that age, or 21 at the very latest, then in all likelihood you won’t succeed at the very highest level.
There are exceptions to the rule like Jamie Vardy and Jarrod Bowen of course. But generally, it’s a fairly strong rule to go by.
Armstrong Okoflex faces career defining 2022/23 campaign with West Ham
The 20-year-old forward absolutely has to show David Moyes what he is capable of during the pre-season campaign.
Andriy Yarmolenko has been released from the Hammers, so the young Irishman has a real opportunity now to stake a claim in the first-team.
Every time he played for the U-23s last season, he looked like a level above most of his teammates and the opposition players.
The talented 20-year-old scored 15 goals in 23 games for the Hammers’ youth team last season (Transfermarkt).
The challenge for him now will be whether he can translate that form on into the Premier League with the West Ham senior team.
He’s certainly more than capable of doing it. Okoflex has pace in abundance, plays with a real directness that the Hammers lacked last season and has a keen eye for goal.
The ex-Celtic ace also possesses exceptional technique.
Republic of Ireland under-21 manager Jim Crawford recently raved about Okoflex, highlighting how he’s the type of player who gets the fans up off their seats (The Athletic).
Armstrong Okoflex must make a splash in the West Ham first team sooner rather than later. Because if he doesn’t, it will be clear that David Moyes just doesn’t fancy him or he quite simply isn’t good enough for the Premier League.
That may sound harsh but elite level football is ruthless to say the least.
Read other West Ham news:
West Ham want to sign 25-year-old Bayern Munich ace – report
Report: West Ham open talks to sign £6 million ace
Insider claims West Ham willing to make £13 million loss on 17-capped international
Moyes tried to bring £22 million player back to West Ham according to agent