West Ham are under pressure to improve their underperforming side this summer and Slaven Bilic’s team have already been linked to a wealth of high-profile additions, which they hope will help push them towards a Europa League finish next term.

The loss of Dimitri Payet in January hit the Hammers hard, as they now lack any world-class players in their side, and it will be extremely difficult for West Ham to sign players of the Frenchman’s calibre- which means another approach is necessary.

Rather than spending an abundance of cash in the summer transfer market, West Ham may be better off promoting from within and putting faith in their youth ranks ahead of the forthcoming season- especially with the likes of Reece Oxford and Edmilison Fernandes.

Both of those youngsters need regular first-team football and have already made an impression at senior level, although the Hammers seem short of fully trusting their youngsters with a regular role in the first-team squad.

The success of young players elsewhere should provide West Ham with courage to put faith in their youth ranks as Everton have benefitted vastly from utilising young members of their squad, whilst Arsenal have enjoyed success after handing the likes of Alex Iwobi, Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding regular first-team football.

West Ham have a wealth of young players who could make an impact in the first-team, including 17-year-old Domingos Quina, 16-year-old defender Ajibola Alese and Reece Burke.

Whilst Quina and Alese may be a little bit off become regulars for the first-team, the likes of Oxford, Burke, Josh Cullen, Marcus Browne and Martin Samuelson all seem ready to make the step-up into the senior side and become regulars for Slaven Bilic’s side.

The problem though is that West Ham seem reluctant to put faith in their youth ranks, which is demonstrated by the fact that Reece Oxford has been offered few opportunities in the senior squad despite making an excellent impression on the opening day of the 2015/16 Premier League season; where he put in a starring performance against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Whilst West Ham’s stance has been protecting these young players, the Hammers need to find the balance between protecting them and utilising them- and next season would be the ideal opportunity for them to make an impact.

West Ham desperately need some fresh ideas to get them back-on-track to match the lofty ambition they brought with them to the London Stadium and the fans would certainly love to see a bunch of homegrown heroes earn their stripes in East London.