Austbø Is Exactly The Type Of West Ham Signing I’ve Been Waiting For

By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)

I’m genuinely excited about West Ham signing Edvin Austbø, and not just because I think we’ve got ourselves a very exciting young winger.

For me, this transfer is symbolic of something much bigger.

This actually feels like a scouting-led, data-driven signing rather than the way West Ham have operated far too often in the past, when players arrived because the manager recommended them or David Sullivan had been given a tip by his mate Will Salthouse.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I wanted Austbø rather than Reiss Nelson.

He’s 21, quick, direct, attacks defenders and has frightening potential. West Ham have already got Manor Solomon, so Austbø doesn’t have to carry the left wing immediately either.

As I looked at in more detail following West Ham’s initial move for the Norwegian, there is plenty in Austbø’s game to get excited about.

But it’s the thinking behind the transfer that encourages me just as much as the player himself.

This Is What I Wanted From Koppen

This is precisely the type of transfer I wanted to see Nils Koppen making.

Young, exciting, data-led and with the potential to become significantly more valuable.

West Ham have spent far too long signing players at or beyond their peak, often for big money and with very little resale value.

Austbø feels different. Whether he succeeds or not, only time will tell but it’s exactly the type of player we should be recruiting.

There are no guarantees, of course. He’s 21 and moving from Norwegian football to the Championship, so we’ll have to give him time. He’ll also be moving to a struggling side with the manager under enormous pressure. But he’s talented enough to fit in with the next coach should Nuno get the elbow.

But West Ham pushed to get this deal done, and I’m delighted they did.

More of this, please.