Josh Ajala joined West Ham United’s Academy of Football in the summer of 2023.

A pacy and skillful striker who can play off both feet, Ajala spent his schoolboy career with Chelsea before moving across London.

In his first season, Ajala scored 17 goals in 23 U18 Premier League South appearances, and signed his first professional contract with the Club in November 2023.

In 2024/25, Ajala made the step up to the U21s set-up at Rush Green Training Ground where he was the development team’s top goalscorer in his first season. While leading the line regularly for the U21s, Ajala also played a key role in winning the Premier League Cup with the U18s, contributing with seven goals in four games, including a brace in the final against Reading.

In 2025/26, Ajala scored two stoppage time goals for the U21s at Tamworth to take our young Hammers to the National League Cup final, having previously netted in group-stage wins at Sutton United and Aldershot. He also found the net in EFL Trophy ties at Swindon Town and AFC Wimbledon and scored regularly in Premier League 2.

After being named on the first-team substitutes’ bench for the FA Cup fourth-round win at Burton Albion, Ajala signed a new contract with the Club in March 2026, extending his stay until the summer of 2028. He was then named in the matchday squad for the FA Cup sixth-round tie with Leeds United the following month. February 2026 also saw him collect the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award.

He finished the season as the U21s top scorer with 13, four of which came in the National League Cup as our young Hammers were defeated on penalties in the final against Boreham Wood.

Honours

Club Honours

U18 Premier League Cup (2024/25) National League Cup runner-up (2025/26)

Individual Honours

U18 Premier League Cup top scorer (2024/25) National League Cup top scorer (2025/26) Premier League 2 February player of the month (2026)

International caps

England U19s England U20s