West Ham United will renew acquaintances with a former academy product very soon, as they look to get back on the Championship promotion trail before the November international break.

Speaking of ‘in-form’, that would be a pretty fitting description of Dapo Afolayan right now. He is back in England these days, joining Blackburn Rovers after Afolayan enjoyed a successful stint in Germany with St Pauli.

A playing it very well. Four goals and two assists from 12 Blackburn starts this season – four goals and one assist in his last six – shows that the former West Ham United kid has taken to a previously unfamiliar competition like the proverbial duck to water.

Dapo Afolayan flying for Blackburn Rovers ahead of West Ham United reunion

Last month, Blackburn succeeded where the Hammers failed. While West Ham needed a second-half turnaround at Millwall to salvage a point, Tony Mowbray’s surprise packages made relatively light work of 2025/26’s play-off semi-finalists.

Afolayan scored his first ever Championship goal to set Rovers on their way to a 3-1 win; an intelligent, instinctive flick from close range. His second was more like the winger Bolton fans grew to love.

Afolayan scored a whole host of rip-roaring strikes in Bolton white. His second that day for Blackburn, driving at the defence, shifting onto his left foot and lasering into the bottom corner, is a warning West Ham’s vulnerable backline must heed.

“I remember Afolayan playing for Bolton and he was really direct, positive and aggressive,” Mowbray said after that Millwall win. “He’s a really bright and intelligent kid who loves football.

“When I say to him ‘you’re not working hard enough, when you lose it you’ve got to react’, he has an answer and knows what I’m talking about. So I feel as though I can connect with him to make him the best version of himself because he understands.

“He has got aspects he needs to learn and work on but he’s a very intelligent kid and there’s scope to get better out of him.”

Afolayan would find the net again in his very next league match. Cutting in off the left, he surprised the Portsmouth goalkeeper with an excellent reversed finish into the near post. His winner away to Bristol City a fortnight ago came via a similar route; in off the left-flank, and a right-footed strike from distance.

“Dapo has scored some great goals this season and that was another great goal that came out of nowhere, chopping inside and banging it in,” Mowbray said at Ashton Gate. “We’re delighted with Dapo.”

Hammers face West Brom first with Blackburn and Cardiff City to come

Joel Veltman and Kyle Walker-Peters are battling for a starting spot on the right-hand side of Nuno’s backline this weekend. West Brom are first up, then a midweek clash with Cardiff before the trip to Ewood Park on November 7th.

Walker-Peters is expected to keep his place for the time being, following a stunning hit of his own against Southampton.

Afolayan’s long-range shooting, his almost reverse-Robben tendency to cut in and fire at goal from distance with his power-packed right boot, will be something Walker-Peters needs to keep a very close eye on in Lancashire.

Before that, though, Nuno needs to silence the doubters once again as West Ham host West Brom. The Baggies are in middling form right now with two wins in their last five. Blackburn and Cardiff City – the Hammers final two opponents before the break – are sitting fourth and third in the form table respectively.

Afolayan’s brilliance is a big reason why Rovers are so high. Both in the form table and, having climbed up to tenth after starting the season as many people’s relegation candidates, in the real table too.