England Under-19 midfielder Divine Mukasa has joined West Ham United on a season-long loan from Manchester City, the East London club confirmed on 21 August. The move is a homecoming of sorts for the 18-year-old, who was born in Newham and spent nearly a decade in West Ham's Academy of Football before moving to City.

A Journey That Started at Six

Mukasa joined West Ham's youth setup at the age of six, making his Under-18s debut at just 14 and stepping up to the Under-21s shortly after. He was part of the 2023 FA Youth Cup-winning squad at 15, underlining his rapid development through the ranks.

In August 2023, he made the switch to Manchester City, one of the most competitive academies in world football. Despite his age, Mukasa has already racked up six first-team appearances for City, including two in the Premier League — one of which came against West Ham last season. He also registered assists in both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

Championship Experience Ahead of Return

Before sealing his return to east London, Mukasa spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan at Leicester City in the EFL Championship, adding senior competitive minutes to his profile. That spell is understood to have sharpened his readiness for a full campaign at a club fighting for promotion.

Mukasa turns 19 on Saturday, and the timing of his arrival reflects West Ham's intent to build a squad capable of returning to the Premier League. West Ham are currently competing in the Championship following relegation, and the club's hierarchy has been active in the summer window to assemble the right blend of youth and experience.

What Mukasa Said

'I'm so excited to be back. Just excited to get playing again, really. Once I heard of the opportunity to come back, it was a no-brainer for me. I was born around here and have grown up in the Academy and spent nearly ten years there,' Mukasa said in an official club statement.

'With my style of play, I want to create, score goals and just help the team win games. I'm just so excited to get in and try to help the Club get back where they belong,' he added.

West Ham's Sixth Summer Signing

Mukasa becomes West Ham's sixth signing of the summer transfer window. He follows Venezuela midfielder Keiber Lamadrid, Dutch defender Joel Veltman, Israel winger Manor Solomon, Belgium midfielder Arne Engels, and Suriname striker Joel Piroe through the door at the London Stadium.

With a creative, goal-contributing midfielder now added to the mix, West Ham's promotion push takes on fresh momentum as the Championship season gets underway.