One notable piece of business for West Ham United in the January transfer window was the departure of experienced defender Craig Dawson, with the 32-year-old joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on a £3.3m deal after just over two years at the London Stadium.
The old-school centre-back had come close to joining the Old Gold during the summer amid his apparent desire to return to the Midlands, with the Hammers finally sanctioning his exit last month despite the Englishman’s impressive service for the club in recent times.
The no-nonsense “warrior” – as lauded by Irons boss David Moyes – quickly emerged as something of a cult hero in east London following his initial loan move from Watford in October 2020, going on to play a key role in the club achieving European qualification in successive seasons.
While not the most glamorous of additions, the bargain buy quickly established himself as a real rock in the West Ham backline, notably earning a place in the Europa League Team of the Season for the 2021/22 campaign.
The Rochdale-born machine was also a particularly popular figure as a result of his penchant for making a difference at the other end of the pitch, having achieved a respectable return of nine goals in 87 appearances across all fronts.
As such, it is clear to see why Moyes was “disappointed” to lose such an influential presence midway through the campaign, with Dawson’s departure having left a notable void in the Irons’ centre-back ranks.
Rather than waiting until the summer in order to secure a replacement for the 6 foot 2 brute, though, the former Everton boss could well look to his academy ranks to find a more instant solution at centre-back, with teenage starlet Kaelan Casey seemingly a perfect option for that role.
Could Casey replace Dawson at West Ham?
The promising 18-year-old has himself laid out his apparent likeness to Dawson in the recent past, having revealed during the summer after signing his first professional deal at the club: “I would compare myself to Craig Dawson. He gives 100 per cent every game and does the hard work”.
The commanding English gem also appears to mirror his elder compatriot’s quality in the final third, having already scored twice and laid on two assists in ten appearances at U18 Premier League level so far this season.
Such standout form has come following the young sensation’s senior bow in the Europa Conference League clash away to Romanian outfit FCSB in November, with the emerging ace coming off the bench late on in that group stage clash. That remains his only senior appearance to date.
That chance to impress was seemingly just reward for Casey’s impressive rise up through the youth ranks in recent years, having previously been earmarked as a figure to keep an eye on after earning a place in the Guardian’s Next Gen list back in 2021.
Also likened to current captain Declan Rice, the expectation is that the 18-year-old will go on to be a leading presence at first-team level in the years to come, with The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas previously stating that Casey is among a group of young players at the London Stadium who “other clubs are envious of”, while also showcasing that the “club’s future is in good hands”.
With Dawson’s departure having provided a possible pathway to Casey becoming a permanent fixture in Moyes’ squad, the precocious talent must be afforded the opportunity to seize that chance sooner rather than later.