West Ham have ‘new N’Golo Kante’ in their academy, says ex-Hammers chief

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West Ham are tipped to have another huge prospect on their hands in their academy.

The Hammers have long had a fine reputation for bringing through elite young talent, with that generation of stars like Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe going on to have great careers at the highest level.

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Now West Ham are also enjoying the superb performances of Declan Rice, and it may be that another big success story is just around the corner.

According to The Athletic, there’s a lot of buzz about 19-year-old midfielder Keenan Appiah-Forson, who has been compared to Chelsea star N’Golo Kante.

The teenager will surely be making waves in the first-team before too long if the words of former West Ham academy chief Terry Westley are to be believed.

“I left when he was still a scholar but I’ll never forget how committed Keenan was,” Westley said.

“He always listened and wanted to improve. I can tell he’s really enjoying himself and that’s what warmed the staff to him. You could always rely on him to do well.

“Keenan’s small but he’s such a tough boy. He’s similar to N’Golo Kante in terms of his work ethic because he’s so difficult to mark.

“Keenan has a lot of potential and it’s great that young players are getting an opportunity at West Ham under David Moyes. Keenan could be next.”

More Stories Keenan Appiah-Forson N'Golo Kante