West Ham United can confirm that Michael Forbes has joined EFL League One side Bristol Rovers on a season-long loan.
The 20-year-old Northern Ireland international defender will take his first steps in senior English football for the Gas, having impressed while captaining the U18s and U21s at the Academy of Football.
Forbes joined the Hammers from Northern Irish club Dungannon Swifts in 2020 and went on to sign his first professional contract in May 2022.
The centre back has been a consistent and key player since arriving in east London, having gone on to make 72 appearances combined for our U18s and U21s, captaining both teams.
Performances at domestic level would see Forbes thrust into the Northern Ireland set-up for a senior international debut in Finland in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier last November.
The talented defender, who put pen to paper on a new deal with the Hammers until June 2026 in January, will now spend the 2024/25 season with Rovers, who have already signed over half-a-dozen new players this summer in a bid to improve on last season’s 15th-place finish.
Everyone at West Ham United wishes Michael all the best in his first loan spell and we look forward to seeing his continued development with Bristol Rovers.
