Premier League club West Ham United have confirmed Nigerian-eligible forward Majid Balogun has signed his first professional contract with the club.
Balogun, who is eligible to represent Nigeria internationally, will continue his development within West Ham’s Academy structure after earning promotion to the club’s U21 setup ahead of next season.
The teenager joined the Hammers from Manchester United before the 2024/25 season and has steadily progressed through the youth ranks. He made 45 appearances across the last two seasons and helped West Ham win the U18 Premier League Cup in 2025.
The Nigerian forward also finished the season strongly despite struggling with injuries earlier in the campaign. After recovering from a broken arm and later a hamstring issue, Balogun scored twice in a 5-2 victory over Norwich City as West Ham’s U18s ended the season with four wins from their final six matches.
Speaking after the announcement, the teenager described the contract as an important achievement in his football journey.
“It feels really good,” Balogun said. “I think every young player is working towards this moment, so it’s a big thing to achieve.
“But at the same time, you always want more. This is a really good platform to go on and achieve bigger things.”
The London-born attacker also reflected on the sacrifices he made earlier in his development after leaving home to pursue football opportunities.
“It was difficult at first, but when you really love something, like I love football, you’re willing to make sacrifices for it,” he said.
Balogun will now continue his progress with the U21 squad when preparations for the new Academy season begin in August.
The move represents another important step for the versatile forward, who can operate both through the middle and in wide attacking positions.
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