Divin seals Stoke deal with high praise from Guardiola

IT is just over two years ago that Divin Mubama introduced himself to diehard Stoke City supporters.

- Peter Smith

There are sometimes opposition players that stick out when you see them for the first time in the flesh and Mubama certainly did that when he spearheaded Kevin Keen's West Ham under-18s team at Stoke in the FA Youth Cup.

He scored twice, could have had another couple to shock a highly-rated but young home side. He was good on the ball and relentless off it.

In fact, that's pretty much what David Moyes said when the forward went on to make his first team debut: "He makes us a completely different side with his running, his pressure and the work he does off the ball for the team."

That’s what the hope will now, in a twist, that he's joined Stoke's first team ready for his first proper taste of regular senior football.

Mubama had been with West Ham since primary school and seemed destined to break through there and be a local superstar.

Veteran teammate Aaron Cresswell told The Athletic in the summer of 2023, a few months after that win at Stoke and West Ham going on to win the Youth Cup: "Divin doesn’t know about this, but I remember sitting with Craig Dawson on the balcony in Evian. [Divin] trained with us for a few days and I said [to Dawson], 'This boy has a big chance here.' I remember the shooting sessions and we were doing two-v-twos and three-v-threes. I just kept thinking this boy has a real chance."