Freddie Potts has confirmed he wants to stay and prove himself at West Ham this season.
Potts impressed on loan at Portsmouth last term and Graham Potter is keen to keep as part of his first-team squad.
West Ham are not entertaining loan offers for academy graduate Potts because they view him as a first-team player.
Speaking after impressing in West Ham’s 2-1 win over Everton in the Premier League Summer Series, the 21-year-old, reaffirmed his commitment to the club.
“I want to be playing at West Ham,” he said. “As a fan all my life, this is the club that I want to play for. So, I feel like there's even more to give.
“I've learnt so much in the last couple of years and I want to showcase that.
“Obviously there's still a lot to learn and being around the players that are at West Ham now, I couldn't have asked for a better place to learn. So, I think there's more to give, but I'm still happy.
“After the two loan spells that I’ve had, I feel like now is the perfect opportunity to show what I can do, and I’ve been given the two opportunities that I have, and I’ve just tried to showcase what I’m all about.”
West Ham have identified Potts and fellow academy graduate George Earthy as two players ready to step up to the first team.
Earthy has not travelled with the squad to America after suffering an ankle ligament injury before their week-long training camp in Germany earlier this month.
The 20-year-old, who impressed on loan at Bristol City last season, is making good progress and has been training individually at the club’s Rush Green training ground.
West Ham are looking to replicate the success of Potts and Earthy’s loan spells with fellow academy players Kaelan Casey and Lewis Orford.
The pair have travelled with the squad to America and both played as the Hammers came from behind to beat Everton in Chicago.
West Ham are open to loan offers for Casey and Orford, in the hope that they can follow in the footsteps of Potts and Earthy.
Potter wants to bring in a goalkeeper, a midfielder and a striker as a priority. But there is also a keen focus on looking for in-house solutions as the club looks to build stability.
