When it was revealed that West Ham only had a transfer budget of £30 million to play with this summer, many fans were surprised.

Compared to last year where the Hammers spent close to £100 million on new players as Manuel Pellegrini led the club to Premier League safety, the new budget (as per Sky Sports) is a shock to the system for West Ham fans and Premier League supporters in general.

But a lack of funds could be a blessing in disguise for West Ham, as it means they could turn to players from the academy for potential first-team players, and given how successful Declan Rice has been this season, this isn’t completely out of the picture, and one player who could be given a shot is midfielder Marcus Browne.

The attacking midfielder has been impressive on-loan for Oxford United this season, scoring nine goals and assisting five in all competitions for the League One side, and although West Ham fans might favour a big money move for Hakan Calhanoglu, who has been reported as a target (as per Calciomercato) for the east London side, Pellegrini could save valuable transfer funds by giving the academy product a shot.

Having seen what playing youth can do for a team this season with the rise of Rice being one of the most inspiring in English football this season, Pellegrini knows first-hand how important youth players can be for the first-team if only they’re given a chance to shine, and Browne can be the next player to do just that.

The midfielder has all the skills needed to flourish in the Premier League, and with Rice should just how good academy products can be in the first-team, Pellegrini could give Browne the chance to impress for West Ham next season.

West Ham fans, should Pellegrini turn to Browne next season? Let us know!