Meet Casey, West Ham’s old-school centre-half with a passion for defending

There's nothing West Ham fans love more than one of their own players coming out of the academy and shining.

Since Declan Rice emerged in 2017, there have been glimpses of others. And there are now high expectations for young defender Kaelan Casey, who could be close to a Premier League start under Graham Potter.

How do they play and who do they remind you of?

Like all young defenders, Casey is confident on the ball and likes to play at the back.

However, those who closely watch the youngster often say that there is a more old-fashioned feeling among the twenty-year-old.

Casey has a real passion for defending and has picked the brains of some of West Ham's best players.

He has been compared to past greats such as Martin Keown or Terry Butcher for his more aggressive and safety-oriented approach to defending.

Tell us about their rise…

Casey was on West Ham's radar from the age of five and joined their famous academy at the age of eight.

He was guided through the ranks by some of the Hammers' best, sometimes leaning on advice from former captains Rice and Mark Noble.

Academy coach Kevin Keen has also had a huge influence, while Angelo Ogbonna – who he replaced on his Premier League debut – also took a keen interest in Casey's development before leaving at the end of his contract last summer.

Paul Nevin and Kevin Nolan, both first-team coaches under David Moyes, have worked with Casey at both club and international level.

Before Casey made the step up to the senior team in East London, he had a great moment with the Under-18s when he scored in their FA Youth Cup final over Arsenal at the Emirates last April.

Julen Lopetegui impressed the youngster and opted to include him in the first team instead of signing experienced defender John Egan on a free transfer this summer.

The Spaniard has now been replaced by Potter and the crisis at the back means Casey could end up in the starting line-up

What do the experts say?

After permanently promoting Casey to the upper ranks, Lopetegui liked what he saw.

The former Hammers boss said: “Casey is a good player, good profile and academy profile.

“He works very well for us and we are happy with him.”

Potter said: “He trained with us. He did well.

“Obviously we haven't had too many full training sessions so I can't give you a full assessment of him.

“But during the training sessions we had, he trained well and did well.

“It's obviously a big step to the Premier League. But again, he's someone who is being carefully considered.

“He has trained well, he behaves well, he wants to learn, he wants to improve. So he is an option.”

What will the next twelve months bring?

Interest in Casey has already returned, with German club Hoffenheim – playing in the Europa League this season – making an attempt this summer.

But Casey is determined to graduate from football academy and make a name for himself in East London.

The Hammers' problems at the start of the season meant that Lopetegui was less likely to take a risk at the back.

But West Ham's limited supply of just three centre-backs means that when injuries and suspensions crop up, a big opportunity could present itself.

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