Josh Dasilva is the Ideal Mark Noble Replacement [Opinion]

If the latest reports linking West Ham with a move for Brentford dynamo Josh Dasilva are anything to go by, then there should be immense cause for excitement around the London Stadium.

Whilst the interest may cause some fans to sweat over the long-term future of club captain Mark Noble, the Hammers identifying the Ilford-born midfielder is a shrewd move that represents superb long-term planning.

At just 22 years old, Dasilva is still very much a young and emerging talent that retains significant potential to improve and make the step up to the Premier League – but Dasilva does not lack senior experience.

The former Arsenal youth player has already amassed just under 100 appearances for the Bees in his Championship career, and already has three goals and four assists to his name in the current campaign alone.

He has also been capped 13 times at youth level.

Whilst goalscoring is not his primary responsibility, he is a constant threat as a deeper-lying playmaker.

WhoScored has noted his commendable strengths in the middle of the park, identifying Dasilva’s keen eye for passing, through balls, dribbling and long-ranged strikes.

For this reason, his headstrong and ambitious style of play resembles that of 33-year-old club stalwart Mark Noble.

Given Noble’s age and increasingly secondary importance to David Moyes’ plans, it is perhaps a natural conclusion that links from the Guardian to Dasilva is a consequence of needing to replace Noble in the near future.

Noble has made just 9 appearances in all competitions this season – over half of which were off the bench – in a tally that contrasts his 33 league outings from the previous season.

If one thing appears to be inevitable, it is that loyal club servant Noble will not be a Hammer forever – and Dasilva appears to be a reliable long-term target.