- Domingos Quina recently signed his first professional contract with West Ham
- Academy Manager Terry Westley believes the youngster is one of Europe’s best talents
- The Portugal youth international has been sensational for the U23 side this season
Academy boss Terry Westley labelled teenage talent Domingos Quina one of Europe’s finest young stars days after the Portuguese signed his first professional contract with the Hammers.
The 17-year-old, who has enjoyed a terrific first season in east London so far, put pen to paper on a deal which will see him under contract at the Club until 2019.
The Portugal youth international, who was a key player in his country’s U17 European Championship triumph in Azerbaijan last summer, has excelled for the Hammers’ U23 side this season.
His terrific strike from just inside the opposition Leicester City’s half in the Premier League Cup earlier this term has been a standout moment, and Westley believes Quina has got everything to grow into a world class footballer.
He said: “It’s great news for the Academy, it’s great news for the first team squad and the manager Slaven [Bilic], and great news from a brand and PR perspective with the board and directors backing the Club to move forward with a talent as big as what he could be.
“[The deal] shows how far we have come in recent years, attracting the very best talent, not only just in England but in Europe, he’s that good.
“He’s got that star quality and for him to commit long-term to us is great news.
“I think, for a 16-year-old, to be playing every week in your U23s, and being one of the better players in the league, [it’s great]. I haven’t seen any players in our league who can dominate a game like he can and break the lines and go past people like he can.”
The midfielder, who will be in action on Tuesday night for the Club’s U18s as they take on Stoke City in the FA Youth Cup, has been deployed as a deep midfielder in recent weeks for the PL2 squad, and Westley believes the youngster is perfectly suited to the role.
“People, analysts, talk about players 90 per cent keeping the ball, but they’ve kept it safe,” Westley continued. “This boy tries real high tariff passes.
“He tries to split defences, he’ll try the outrageous against Leicester and score from nearly his own half. He’s got that star quality and to do things different to other players.
“That shows his calibre and how good he is to be one of the best players in the U23 league already at the tender age of 16 and now coming on to 17.
“This season, I’d love him to have a game in the Prem! I’d love him to show our supporters and our staff and players, younger players in the Academy, that it can be done. I truly believe he’s of that quality.”