West Ham have now officially confirmed the signing of Josh Ajala on his first professional contract, after being reported exclusively by The West Ham Way.

The club confirmed the news that the former Chelsea player, who has impressed greatly since making the move across to east London, is understood to have penned a 2 year deal.

Our club insider confirmed the signing a couple of weeks ago, however the club are now in a position to be able to officially announced the capture of the pacy 17 year old.

“Coming to West Ham in the summer, I’ve gelled in with the team and the coaches,” Ajala told the club’s Official Website.

“It’s a great place to come every day and it’s very welcoming.

“I feel like finishing is a big part of my game so it’s important I can contribute goals to the team. Hopefully, I can get the call-up for the U21s and can make my Premier League 2 debut.”

Academy Manager Kenny Brown was understandably delighted to have secured the signing of Ajala, who the club have high hopes for.

“Josh is a natural finisher who had scored goals throughout his schoolboy years at Chelsea and is continuing his goalscoring feats here with us,” added Brown. “He is enjoying his football and has already become a valuable member of the U18 squad and has been a key player in our impressive start to the season.

“It’s clear there is so much more to come from Josh at the Academy of Football, and we are all pleased to see him take the next step in his career with West Ham.”