West Ham United is delighted to announce that Ryan Battrum has signed professional terms with the Club.
The versatile 17-year-old put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract at the home of the Academy of Football, based at the Club’s iconic Chadwell Heath training facility.
Battrum made 26 appearances in all competitions for the U18s in a highly successful 2022/23 campaign, with the full-back scoring his first goal for the side in extra time of their 4-2 FA Youth Cup quarter-final win away to Ipswich Town.
Having helped Kevin Keen’s young Hammers to two trophies – the FA Youth Cup and the U18s Premier League South – Battrum also made his Premier League 2 debut in March, coming on as a substitute for Mark Robson’s U21s in a 5-0 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“I’m absolutely buzzing to sign my first professional deal,” Battrum told whufc.com. “I have been a massive fan since I was born so for me to be signing my first professional contract with this Club is an absolute honour and I’m absolutely delighted. My whole family is buzzing as well so I am really pleased.
“It has been a really good season for us in the U18s. I came into the year as a first year scholar surrounded by a lot of good players. I wasn’t expecting to play much but I feel that I have really stepped up to the challenge and made the transition from U16s to U18s.
"Now that this has been signed, I know that I need to keep working hard. Getting a professional deal is really good but it doesn’t mean anything if I stop working. I want to keep developing and keep improving every single day."
A lifelong West Ham fan, Battrum becomes the fifth Academy youngster to agree professional terms with the Club this campaign, following Ollie Scarles, Callum Marshall, Gideon Kodua and Lewis Orford in signing contracts with the Hammers.
Academy Manager Kenny Brown said: “I speak on behalf of everyone at the Academy of Football when I say how delighted we are that Ryan has penned professional terms with the Club.
“Ryan has continued to grow and develop since signing his scholarship with West Ham last season and has contributed to the U18s’ highly successful campaign.
“I know Ryan is a West Ham supporter too and what a special moment this is for him and his family. I look forward to seeing Ryan continuing his journey with us in the weeks and months to come.”
Local lad Battrum joined his boyhood Club at five-years-old and worked his way through the age groups, featuring in a variety of different positions along the way.
Having made three substitute appearances for the U18s in the 2021/22 campaign, Battrum penned his Scholarship with West Ham in June 2022 and became a regular in Kevin Keen’s young squad.
The full-back has been a constant feature in the U18 Premier League South for Keen’s team this campaign, making 20 league outings – of which 15 were starts – while also make three outings apiece in the U18 Premier League Cup and the FA Youth Cup.
It was on his first Youth Cup outing that Battrum made a significant impact. Having come on as a substitute in the quarter-final clash away to Ipswich Town, the youngster would sweep in a vital third goal for the Hammers in extra time, putting the Irons on course for a 4-2 win after 120 minutes against the Tractor Boys. He would start the FA Youth Cup final away to Arsenal, helping the side to a famous 5-1 win at the Emirates Stadium to lift a fourth Youth Cup in the Club’s history.
Battrum’s progression would see him earn his first opportunity in the development team, travelling with Mark Robson’s U21s for the Premier League 2 match at Wolverhampton Wanderers. There, he would come on for his debut, as the side ran out 5-0 winners.
Everyone at West Ham United congratulates Ryan on his professional contract and wishes him every success in his career in Claret and Blue.
