Boss Slade is confident that Mpoku will remain at Brisbane Road

ON-LOAN youngster Paul-Jose Mpoku looks set to stay at Orient for the foreseeable future.

The 18-year-old Belgium youth international swung the game O’s way when he came off the bench and turned in a match-winning performance against Hartlepool on Saturday.

Orient boss Russell Slade purred after the game: “He was marvellous. Magnificent. What an impact he made when he came on. He did exactly what we wanted him to.”

Mpoku joined the O’s initially for a month from Tottenham, a move which expires after Saturday’s trip to Swindon Town, but the Orient boss is confident he will be able to keep the Kinshasa-born star, who played for Standard Liege, before moving to England.

“I’m sure we can negotiate with Spurs,” said Slade, after he had watched the Tottenham youngster run riot down the left flank on Saturday.

“I’m sure no-one is going to snatch him away from us. I know Spurs will do things right and as long as the boy is learning and getting the right experience and exposure on the pitch, they will be delighted to let him continue.”

Slade added that Mpoku is likely to stay until the end of the year at least. “We have got him for as long as we want, to be honest,” said the O’s boss.

“We can keep him until Christmas and we have got him on a youth loan, so that means we can take him beyond that and we’re very happy with that.”

Mpoku, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but plays for Belgium under-19s, was on international duty last week and Slade added: “He had a good little trip with Belgium and scored against England last Wednesday and was right pleased with that. We had a little glimpse of what he could do against Brentford and against Hartlepool when he came on we saw the Full Monty.”

Veteran O’s striker Scott McGleish shares Slade’s view and admits Mpoku has genuine quality. “He’s a class act and you could see that straight away when he came on,” said the 36-year-old.

“He always wants the ball and even though he has got two or three players around him, you know he is not going to give it away.

“He came on and changed the game in our favour. It put us on the front foot further up the pitch and it stopped the onslaught we were under early in the second half.”