Promising defender Levi Laing started representing West Ham United in January 2021, initially arriving on trial with Kevin Keen’s U18s before then signing Scholarship terms in east London.

Laing’s immediate impact at the Academy – the 18-year-old has made 13 appearances for the youth team and two for the U23s in his maiden half-season – was rewarded with a first professional contract with the Club in the summer.

Originally from Kingston in South-West London, Laing’s first-ever football club as a child was local team Hampton & Richmond Borough FC.

The defender’s academy career subsequently began as a 12-year-old with Brentford, where he spent two seasons prior to a five-year stint at Arsenal. 

An uncompromising centre-back possessing good athleticism and technical ability, Laing is also comfortable as a full-back or defensive midfielder, and admits to appreciating both of the sides of the defender’s game, hoping to showcase his abilities as fully-fledged professional footballer moving forward.

Laing would feature frequently throughout the 2021/22 season for the U23s, playing 17 times in all competitions for Mark Robson's Irons.

The 2022/23 campaign would be a break-out season for Laing, with the centre-back establishing himself as a regular in a back-three for the development team. With 28 appearances in all competitions, Laing was one of the most relied upon senior Academy players by lead coach Robson, with only Krisztian Hegyi and Keenan Appiah-Forson starting more Premier League 2 games. 

Laing's form earned the centre-back his senior debut, with the defender coming off the bench to feature in West Ham's UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg victory over AEK Larnaca. He also took a place on the bench in the FA Cup fourth round win at Derby County.