West Ham have confirmed that Norwegian international forward Martin Samuelsen has left the club on loan to join Dutch outfit VVV-Venlo on a season-long deal.
The Hammer confirmed the 21-year-old’s temporary exit via their official website, with the 6’2″ (source: Transfermarkt) attacker, who can play in a variety of positions up front, having found himself shipped off to Championship side Burton Albion for the latter half of last season.
With two caps for Norway’s senior national side under his belt, Samuelsen is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League with the Hammers, and has just two outings for the first team at the London Stadium.
Opinion
With the new attacking options brought in to help bolster Manuel Pellegrini’s options at West Ham, it is no surprise to see Samuelsen heading out on loan for next season. His chances of game time would be slim at best were he to remain, and the reality is he would be forced to continue playing reserve football. With a move to the Netherlands, he can now be freed from his shackles and prove what he can do in a competitive environment, with the aim of establishing himself as a first team option with the Irons over the next 12 months. At 21-years-old, his career is hitting a crossroads and he needs to either make it at the London Stadium, or begin looking for a new club for the next step of his career. Either way, this loan spell will be a big moment in determining his future, and he had best take the opportunity with both hands.