Declan Rice and Anton Ferdinand respond to Preston Fearon’s West Ham debut
Declan Rice and Anton Ferdinand have responded to the latest development at West Ham after Preston Fearon’s debut against Man United.
Graham Potter’s side fell to a 2-1 defeat at the MetLife Stadium in New York after goals from Bruno Fernandes and Jarrod Bowen, but the focus rested with the debutant.
At just 18 years old, the midfielder signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2024 and is now keen to become a regular in Potter’s squad.
The Hammers have always placed great emphasis on their academy development, and their pre-season tour will allow them to blood more youngsters into first-team action.
Fearon will be looking to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Rice, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Mark Noble at the London Stadium.
Declan Rice joins praise for West Ham youngster Preston Fearon
West Ham have stepped up their pre-season preparations ahead of the new season, despite kicking off their tour of the USA with a defeat to Man United.
The players continue to find form and fitness ahead of the Premier League season’s return and will next face Everton in Chicago before playing Bournemouth in Atlanta.
Taking to Instagram following the Man United game, West Ham and Fearon shared a joint post with the caption “a first-team debut for Preston” alongside an on-pitch photo.
The photo was liked by former Hammers captain and academy graduate Declan Rice, while Anton Ferdinand commented: “Congratulations on your debut Preston.”
Hammers join Liverpool in race to sign Idrissa Gueye
While they continue with plans to bring young players into the first-team setup, West Ham are also aiming to back Potter with new signings in the transfer market.
Football Insider revealed on 26 July that West Ham are interested in signing Idrissa Gueye from Metz, with the 18-year-old attracting plenty of suitors.
Alongside the Hammers, the likes of Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Brighton are believed to have made enquiries about the striker’s situation.
German duo Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt have shown an interest in the young striker who made 17 Ligue 2 appearances for Metz last season, scoring six times.
For more West Ham and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.