Ajeti ‘ready’ for the Premier League – but does he deserve a chance?

Albian Ajeti claims that he’s ready to start for West Ham United in the Premier League after featuring just twice so far this season.

The 23-year-old started both of West Ham’s Carabao Cup games – the 2-0 third-round win at Newport County and Wednesday’s 4-0 humbling at Oxford.

He’s yet to play a single minute of Premier League football though, and considering that’ll be his only chance for some game time now, he seems ready to grasp the opportunity.

Speaking to the West Ham website, he explained:

I feel in myself that the coach trusts a lot in me and I trust him too, and he knows I’ll do everything to get my minutes on the pitch. The coach knows my qualities and I have big self-confidence and believe I can rise to every challenge.

It’s just important to continue to do my work as well as I can and hopefully more opportunities will come. I am ready, and the coach knows he can put me in every game. I’m waiting for every game, for the cup games and even in the Premier League.

The coach knows it and he can put me in any game he wants.

Read West Ham’s verdict

I think it’s fair to say Ajeti hasn’t exactly produced fireworks in both the games he’s played in against lower league opposition.

With Sebastien Haller Manuel Pellegrini’s affirmed choice upfront, it’s unlikely he’ll be seeing many minutes until the busy Christmas period.

As a young striker coming from the Swiss league, it was always going to take time for him to adapt in England so fans must remain patient with him.

I’d be lying if I said he deserved to start in the Premier League yet though, that opportunity must be earnt over time.