SHOCKING NEWS;West Ham United announces new ownership

West Ham have a host of talented players who are household Premier League names but one who isn’t has impressed the manager the most.

Ask any football fan to list West Ham’s five top players and most would pick the same names.

Hammers stars Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo would be in and around the list.

Perhaps another two summer signings Niclas Fullkrug and Aaron Wan-Bissaka or even Crysencio Summerville too.

But there is one player in the West Ham squad who could make a huge impact this season that most will have never heard of.

Including West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui.

Over the summer most Hammers fans could be forgiven for forgetting the club had even signed Andy Irving.

The Scot was like a dirty little secret at West Ham at the start of this summer.

Irving was signed in a feeder club deal struck by technical director Tim Steidten with SK Austria Klagenfurt last summer before immediately being loaned back.

The Irons paid a reported £1.5m for the 24-year-old central midfielder to seal the partnership.

There has been an air of mystery and an element of the bizarre surrounding Irving at West Ham since.

West Ham never officially unveiled or announced the Scot as a signing.

There was barely even any mention of the former Hearts player as he started pre-season under Lopetegui.

Lopetegui says West Ham have special player on their hands

A lack of bodies meant Irving was used in most pre-season matches. His underdog story, and a barnstorming goal, saw Irving become an unlikely fan favourite.

The arrival of Carlos Soler and Guido Rodriguez to add to Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez looked like rendering Irving’s presence in the squad pointless.