West Ham loan star 'brilliant' in Portsmouth giant-killing just as £5m star poised to leave

West Ham star Gideon Kodua turned heads with his role in an FA Cup underdog victory for League One side Wycombe Wanderers on Friday evening as the Chairboys beat Championship opposition Portsmouth 2-0.

The 20-year-old is on loan at Adams Park this season, having returned to the side following a successful stint over the back end of the 2023/24 campaign. Wycombe sit second in the League One table, eyeing promotion, and look to be putting together a little cup run too.

After the victory over Pompey, Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield singled out Hammers talent Kodua for his performance. The winger came through the West Ham youth academy but is yet to make a first team appearance, working with the under-18s and under-21s.

West Ham loan star hailed as ‘great character’

A natural right winger, Kodua was moved to right-back against Portsmouth and performed that role with aplomb. Bloomfield said: “Yes, I love Gids, I think he is brilliant.

“He is just a great character; always lively, always smiling, always winding someone up. We could have put him right-back on Tuesday evening, decided to go, change his shape. Tonight he had a little slip early on and it could have put him off, but he is just brilliant.

“He just does everything you ask, he just gets on with his game, does the possibly best he can and then he had an imprint at the top end of the pitch as well from right-back, which is just fantastic.”

Kodua has largely been used as a substitute during Wycombe's impressive League One campaign so far but is taking his chances where possible. The player scored against York City in the FA Cup first round this season and was also on target against Burton Albion in his only start of the league season.

Speaking to the West Ham website last summer, Kodua said: "It’s been a really good experience. We’ve had a new gaffer come in, so it was always going to be a challenge learning the new tactics he wants us to play, but I think, as the season goes on, we’ll do well.

“For me personally, it’s been a really good trip. Obviously, I was mainly looking to get first-team experience. There are always positives and no negatives when playing first team.

“With fitness, especially training and playing in this heat, when we go back to England, it’ll be easier because the conditions are not as extreme.

“It’s about first-team experience really, getting in the manager’s eye and trying to impress, and just taking my opportunity.”

Vladimir Coufal hints at West Ham departure

The rise of Kodua comes at a good time for West Ham with the right-back spot a potential area for investment this summer. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has cemented the starting berth since his £15 million move from Manchester United but second-choice Vladimir Coufal - who arrived at West Ham from Slavia Prague for £5 million in 2020 - is out of contract at the end of the campaign, and has hinted at a desire to move on.

The 32-year-old's situation may change under the management of Potter but had recently told Czech media: “When I talked to the coach (Julen Lopetegui), he told me that he was extremely happy with me. That he is convinced that I will get more minutes, more chances and start playing, that I am a great professional.

“I can’t say a bad word against the coach, or he has against me, it’s just that we don’t have a good time on the pitch yet. If it should continue like this, we have to sit down and see what to do next. I definitely don’t want to sit on the bench, I still feel like I can play in the Premier League.”