Xande Silva can follow Grady Diangana’s example at West Ham

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West Ham United youngster Xande Silva is ready to make his mark in the first-team.

The summer recruit from Vitória Guimarães has been quietly impressing for the Hammers at U23 level, but has spoken about the prospect of playing in Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

He told A Bola, as quoted by football.london: “Here I am in a new culture, different, both socially and in football. It’s much faster. ‘How can you play so calm?’ Some of my teammates ask me.

“This is a great experience, here there are all the conditions for a Portuguese player to play, you just have to stay focused.

“My time will come!”

Silva’s time likely will come if he continues to pull up trees for the U23s.

Silva can follow Diangana example

The evidence is there that Pellegrini is prepared to give youth a chance at West Ham.

Winger Grady Diangana is now a part of the first-team after taking his chance against Macclesfield Town in the Carabao Cup back in September.

The youngster scored a brace during the 8-0 win, and is now making matchday squads with Andriy Yarmolenko out for the foreseeable.

He looks very direct and appears fearless, and Silva should definitely follow his example if called up. He can take heart from Diangana’s rise and use it as motivation.

Encouragingly for Silva, Javier Hernandez has failed to convince as Marko Arnautovic’s back up, despite scoring from off the bench against Burnley last weekend.

So there could be a chance in the offing for the Portuguese starlet.