The big strides that Nathan Trott has made at West Ham United this season is “a great achievement” for a player his age, says Adam Raimes, who heads up the club’s academy operations.

The Bermudian goalkeeper has flourished playing for West Ham’s Under-23 squad and has also been named in the Hammers first-team squad for the 2017-18 season.

“Nathan has progressed very well, he’s featured on the bench for the first team and has established himself as the club’s No 3 goalkeeper this season, a great achievement for a 19-year-old,” Raimes told The Royal Gazette. “He’s signed a long-term contract with the club and his performance for the under-23s this season have only served to strengthen his reputation.”

Trott, who signed an initial 2½-year deal with West Ham in January 2016, which has since been extended until 2020, moved a step closer to his dream of playing in the Premier League after being named in David Moyes’s squad for a Premier League clash away to newly crowned champions Manchester City at Etihad Stadium last November.

The progress the former BAA player has made since joining the Premier League club has not been limited to club level as he has also made big strides at the international youth level after switching his allegiance from Bermuda to England.

“Maybe not the most popular story of his progress for the locals is his fantastic achievements in playing for the England,” Raimes added. “He was notably a member of the Uefa European Under-19 Championship winning side in Georgia in 2017 and has also now made his debut for the under-20 side.”

Trott has yet to concede in four appearances thus far with the England U20s, who have won every time he has played for Keith Downing’s squad.

“He continues to flourish as a fantastic shot stopper and having a fantastic ability with the ball at his feet, a most valuable trait in modern day goalkeepers,” Raimes said.

West Ham will travel to the island with a roster of under-19 players next month to take part in the Bermuda International Football Festival at the National Stadium. The young Hammers will play in a four-team tournament featuring the Azores Football Association Academy, the Bermuda Football Association National Academy and a Premier and First Division Select comprising of players under the age of 21.

The festival will be held from May 7 to 13 and will again feature the East v West match, involving select teams consisting of players from across the island, whether they are registered BFA players or not.