Andy Irving is confident that he can make a positive impact when he returns to West Ham.

The signing of Andy Irving was a confusing one for many. It was a move that seemingly came out of nowhere for a player no one had really heard of. The 23-year-old Scotsman was loaned straight back to SK Austria Klagenfurt for the 2023/24 season and has been enjoying a brilliant campaign.

Despite it still seeming strange due to the club not really having a history of producing top talents, it was revealed that the deal was done largely so the Hammers can make the Austrian side an affiliate club.

However, the midfielder is keen to prove that it was more than just that and that he is intact good enough to play in the Premier League. “I believe that I can go to West Ham and show my quality,” he told Edinburgh News. “It’s a challenge I’m very excited for. I understand the level that I’m going to and it’s up to me to show that I can play at that level.”

“I heard about the possibility from my agents about 10 days before the window shut [last August]. It was a lot to take in having games to focus on too, but of course it’s something every kid dreams about. I was buzzing, as were my family.”

Hopefully, Irving will be able to take his experience from across Europe and learn to adapt to life at the top quickly. It may have been a seemingly strange signing, but there’s nothing to say that he can’t become an important player at the London Stadium.