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Manuel Pellegrini is ready to give striker Toni Martinez a run at a first team place this season as the frontman has returned to training at Rush Green.

Rather than the 21-year-old be sent away to Slovakia on loan with the other U23 and U18 players minus the ones already around the first team, Martinez has stayed at the Hammers training ground with the rest of the first team squad.

Following an injury to Andy Carroll, there is a striker spot available in the first team for the upcoming season and Pellegrini wants to give Martinez a run at taking it, football.london understands.

The Spaniard returned to training later than others after he was given an extended summer break, having been involved in the La Liga 2 play-off race with Real Valladolid last season, where he spent the final six months of the campaign as they won promotion to La Liga.

Martinez scored a barrel-load of goals for the U23s over the last season and a half after moving to east London from Valencia in the summer of 2016.

(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

He was drafted into the first team for the FA Cup games against Shrewsbury Town and Wigan Athletic last season but didn't get on the scoresheet before he was loaned out to Valladolid on transfer deadline day for the remainder of the season.

Football.London also understands that the new Hammers manager has been very impressed with Nathan Holland and Josh Cullen so far this season and is keen to keep them around the first team.

Pellegrini will make a decision on who will be loaned out or sold from the youngsters after the friendly with Aston Villa next week. The likes of Marcus Browne, Martin Samuelsen, Josh Pask and Connor Coventry are of interest to Championship and League One clubs on-loan this season.

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