West Ham United are delighted to announce they have struck an agreement with Dutch Club VVV-Venlo which will see talented young players exchanged between the two Clubs.
Academy Manager & Head of Player Development Coaching Terry Westley has been looking at a partnership with another European Club for the last year.
Westley has travelled around Europe, but was convinced that the Dutch outfit had the best facilities and style of play to help the young players at the West Ham Academy grow even stronger.
The partnership has already started with defender Sam Westley moving to Venlo on loan as part of the deal and the Club are hoping to bring in some exciting Dutch talent.
Westley said: “It's something we have looked at for 12 months. We have been to Slovakia, France and Holland.
“We have met with different Clubs and we chose Venlo in the end after doing our homework and looking at the environment and what the staff are like.
“We managed to get the link after I went over to Holland and met the Club's director to form a football partnership. We feel the high technical game which they play could suit our players.
“Our thought process was could we be futuristic? If you look at defenders, Reece Burke is a great example as going to Bradford is really helping him and being tough against a senior centre forward.
“But if you are looking for a midfielder or an attacking player, you might be looking for a different type of game and Venlo ticks those boxes. Our staff can go and see the things they do and the same for them.
“Socially it will be a good experience for all the players.”
VVV-Venlo director Marco Bogers is also thrilled with the deal and hopes the young Hammers players who arrive can make a breakthrough into the first-team.
Bogers said: "We are very happy that we have been approached by West Ham United.
“Our goal is to learn about the way West Ham United work and we can learn a lot from a big Club like West Ham.
“We have already taken Sam Westley and we hope to take many more. Our ambition is to get back into the top league in Holland and it would be nice if some of the West Ham players who arrive here can make it into the first-team.”