West Ham United have reportedly lost a key figure as Ricky Martin has left to take up the role of technical director at Stoke City.
The move looks a smart piece of business for Stoke, with Martin having been highly regarded for the work he’d done during his time at the London Stadium.
Martin joined West Ham for a role with their academy in 2019, and it’s fair to say he continued the club’s proud traditions in that department.
Hammers supporters will surely be disappointed to see Martin moving on, and they’ll hope the club have someone else lined up to come in soon and steady the ship.
West Ham have long been known for the success of their academy, which has produced some top names in English football such as Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, and, more recently, Declan Rice.