Josh Landers says playing for West Ham remains his long-term ambition as he uses his Ayr United loan to gain senior experience.
The 19-year-old striker discussed his development in an interview with The Athletic, with comments subsequently reproduced by Claret & Hugh.
“The long-term goal is to play for West Ham,” Landers said.
He explained that the pressures of first-team football, including the importance of results to established professionals, offered lessons beyond academy competition.
Josh Landers targets West Ham future through Ayr loan
Landers joined Ayr on a season-long loan in September, taking him into the Scottish Championship after a prolific spell with West Ham’s academy.
We covered the completion of his Ayr move and subsequently reported his first goal for the club in our September loan round-up.
His comments underline the purpose of that move: gaining experience now while working towards an opportunity at his parent club.
Our view: the value of the season should extend beyond his goal tally. Earning repeat starts, responding to difficult matches and contributing when chances are scarce would all represent useful progress.
The challenge is to establish himself in Ayr’s team and make those contributions consistently.
A productive loan can strengthen his case when he returns. It does not guarantee a senior role at West Ham, but Landers has made his objective clear.
