The 2018/19 campaign has been nothing if not memorable for Grady Diangana, and the winger knows his West Ham United breakthrough has come at an exciting time for the club.
The 20-year-old has put pen to paper on a new six-year deal with the Premier League side, keeping him with the Irons until 2025, and Diangana is thrilled to know his future with the club is now secure.
The winger’s first campaign in the senior side has come under Manuel Pellegrini, with the experienced Chilean giving Diangana an opportunity to impress in the Claret and Blue.
And Diangana is thoroughly enjoying life under the West Ham boss.
“I am very excited to know that my future is here for the next six years,” Diangana told West Ham TV.
“Since the beginning the boss has always told me that I need to be clinical in the final third. That I need to keep it simple and, when you have the opportunity, create something.
“He’s a different type of manager. He gives you advice when you need it. He will come and help you. He demands a lot from you as well. You know the level he has been at and you need to be able to meet his demands to play in his team.”
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Under Pellegrini, an attractive and attacking philosophy has been installed at West Ham, something that Diangana is loving. The youngster is relishing the way Pellegrini is encouraging the team to play football, and wants the side to continue growing.
“We have a really lovely style to play in,” he continued. “It’s really good for me because I like to have and build relationships on the pitch. For example, when I’m face forward, I know I’ve got the option to play a one-two, to combine with the other players.”
As one of the side’s younger talents, Diangana knows he only has to ask one of the side’s more experienced heads if he needs any advice, with the No.45 eager to continue learning and developing.
Diangana said: “Everyone gets along. It’s not like we’re young and the other players are older and we don’t talk. The banter is good, and if I need any advice I can just ask the other players.
“Even the defenders give me attacking advice. They can tell me about runs that they hate attackers doing on them, so it’s helping me learn. It’s good to get advice from everyone that I can.”
Diangana becomes the second West Ham United Academy graduate to sign a new, long-term deal with the club in recent weeks, after Declan Rice agreed terms on a contract until 2024.
Having followed his teammate in putting pen to paper, Diangana is targeting a similar rise to Rice through the side.
“It’s nice to have Declan there with me,” he added. “I’ve been with him for a couple of years and we’ve known each other for a while now. The way he’s come up, the way he’s playing now, and the way he’s maturing is just amazing.
“Dec is like a guideline for me. I want to achieve what he has been achieving. I want to prove to everyone what I can do. I want to show everyone what I can do and why I deserve to be here.”
