According to West Ham ITK ExWHUemployee, Manchester United have performed several scouting missions on West Ham’s highly-rated youngster Jamal Baptiste.

The 15-year-old centre-back became the second youngest player to represent the Hammers’ under-23 side last week against Valencia ‘B’. And he really impressed.

Baptiste, an England under-16 international, has played 17 times for West Ham’s under-18’s.

He is a tall and imposing centre-back, and he seems to have all of the ingredients needed to go on and be a truly top-class Premier League player.

Baptiste seems like a very focused and driven young man.

After making his debut for the under-23’s against Valencia ‘B’, he told the club’s official website:

“One of my targets this season was to get a couple of appearances for the U23s and I’m hoping to be able to do that. I just want to keep training with them and playing with them and pushing to get into the team.”

He undoubtedly has a bright future in the game. Whether he will still be at West Ham, however, remains to be seen.

ExWHUemployee has claimed that Manchester United are very keen on the 15-year-old Hammers starlet, when speaking during the West Ham Way podcast last night (Wednesday, September 18th):

“Jamal Baptiste, a 15-year-old, played for the under-23’s. He’s a centre-back, meant to be very highly rated. However, Manchester United sent a scout to watch him, and they’ve sent the same scout to watch him two or three times now. So we need to get him time down as best as possible.”

Because of his age, West Ham are unable to tie him down to a long-term deal, so they are undoubtedly at risk of losing him.

If he did leave for United, they would be due some kind of tribunal fee, however.

In any case, he is definitely one to look out for in the future.