Jude Bellingham will forever be the benchmark for all Championship kids looking to make their name at the very highest level of English and European football – including, of course, West Ham United’s weekend matchwinner Divine Mukasa.

Back in the starting XI after he was left out of the 6-0 midweek thrashing of Lincoln City, Mukasa converted a Mohamadou Kante assist as West Ham United moved to within one point of league leaders Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.

Much has been made of Mukasa’s exceptional passing range. Against Wrexham, another 6-0 victory, the England U21 international ran the show from deep while utilising every club in his bag; from the driver to the sand wedge. In the 4-2 triumph over Wolves in early-September, Mukasa lasered in an early Goal of the Season contender before doubling his tally from a similar distance outside of the penalty area.

But, in addition to being a potent striker from distance and a potentially elite ball-progresser through the thirds, no outfield player at West Ham averages more ‘recoveries’ per game. He wins the ball back 5.4 times per 90 minutes on average. In addition to scoring the winner at Swansea, he also made the second-most interceptions of any visiting player.

Divine Mukasa labelled a ‘wonderkid’ after his West Ham United winner

These qualities in and out of possession, plus an ability to play across a number of roles, are what makes Mukasa such an intriguing, perhaps Bellingham-esque prospect from the perspective of a genuine Football League oracle.

“Mukasa is getting more and more interesting to me. [He] should be getting a bit more attention here as English wonderkid,” Maxwell argues on the Not the Top 20 podcast. “He turned 19 two months ago!

“He is a pure modern footballer for the modern age. Sometimes a [number] six, normally an eight, sometimes a 10. Has played as a false nine for Man City under Pep [Guardiola]. Played up front for the England Under-20s last month in one of their games during the international break. And I think with my scouting head on, I would describe him as a ‘multi-phase footballer’.

“What I mean is wherever the ball is on the pitch, whatever phase it is in, whatever you need doing in and out of possession, I think Mukasa can already do pretty much all of it to a good level. And given his age and his size, his athleticism, his technical profile, I think he has the potential to do it all at an unbelievably high level if his trajectory tracks the right way.

“Give him the ball, he will look after it. He’s very press-resistant. He’s very good in tight spaces. He receives the ball well. His touch is sound. He’s a left-footed player, but he can play off both feet, and he is reliable.”

Mukasa earns Jude Bellingham comparisons following Swansea City heroics

At the risk of raining on Maxwell’s parade a little, it can be argued that Mukasa’s influence has waned for West Ham when playing further forward or as a deep-lying number six. His most effective performances so far have come from his favoured number eight role.

Yet, at Man City, the aforementioned Pep Guardiola talked up Mukasa’s ‘incredible’ ability to drift unseen into goalscoring positions – an attribute West Ham saw for the first time when he converted Kante’s cut-back in South Wales.

In most games, we are seeing something new from an elegant, efficient and increasingly effective midfielder Maxwell believes could follow in Bellingham’s footsteps.

“He’s come through Man City, so he’s been drilled in looking after the ball first and foremost. In the middle third, what do you want to do? You want to progress it into the final third,” Maxwell adds. “Mukasa is a smooth carrier. He’s a good passer. He can carry, he can pass, he can link, he can progress it. And in the final third – and this is what’s really interesting, particularly long term – I think he’ll get on the ball between the lines as a number ten.

“And then out of possession, because that’s a big thing as well, he’s got size. He covers ground quickly. He’s got quite a nonchalant persona, but I think he can be very good out of possession. He was involved in the turnover for the West Ham winning goal [at Swansea], which he then scored.

“One of the big questions looking forward is; will he fill out Jude Bellingham style? And I’m a little bit loath to drop the name Bellingham in, but there are some aspects of Mukasa’s game right now playing in the Championship that are quite reminiscent of a young Jude Bellingham [at Birmingham City].

“I mean, he’s only four years younger than him, but if he does fill out like Bellingham, if he becomes a really top-tier physical player, if he’s a top-level athlete alongside all the rest that I’ve talked about, we’re going to be looking at an unbelievably exciting talent.”

Maxwell even believes that Borussia Dortmund, who snapped up Jobe Bellingham a year after selling Jude to Real Madrid, may come calling for another baby-faced English midfielder at some point down the line. Right now, though, West Ham are hoping that promotion opens the door for Mukasa to stick around full-time.