Contract rebel Jeremy Ngakia starts for West Ham as they resume their Premier League campaign against Wolves at London Stadium.
The 19-year-old right back is named from the start despite his refusal to sign a new deal in east London until the end of the season or beyond and is preferred to both Ryan Fredericks and Ben Johnson.
Ngakia has been linked with moves abroad and within the Premier League since news emerged ofhis refusla to pen fresh terms and he is due to leave the club on June 30 unless the Hammers and the player can thrash out an extension bfore Tuesday next week.
The other big news in the team selection is the absences of Angelo Ogbonna and also Sebastien Haller, who misses out through injury.
Ogbonna’s absence sees Declan Rice line up at centre half alongside Issa Diop, with Fabian Balbuena on the bench despite being the other recognised centre back in the squad.
Michail Antonio starts up front for the Hammers alongside Jarrod Bowen and Felipe Anderson.
Mark Noble, who missed the friendly win against QPR last week, starts in midfield alongside Tomas Soucek. Pablo Fornals keeps his palce in the side in the number ten role despite the presence of Jack Wilshere and Manuel Lanzini.
Lukasz Fabianski resumes his role in between the sticks, while Aaron Cresswell is preferred to Arthur Masuaku at left back.
West Ham: Fabianski; Ngakia, Rice, Diop, Cresswell; Noble, Soucek, Fornals, Bowen, Anderson; Antonio.
