Daniel Jinadu: Nigerian signs first professional contract with West Ham United

Daniel Jinadu: Nigerian signs first professional contract with West Ham United

The Nigeria youth international will continue with his development in Stratford having being handed his maiden pro deal by the English top-flight side
Daniel Jinadu has signed his first professional contract, with English Premier League outfit West Ham United, a few days before his 18th birthday.

The goalkeeper made five appearances with the U18s in the 2019-20 season and has been rewarded for his consistency and diligence with his first professional deal.

Jinadu began his career at Chelsea before joining the Hammers in December 2017 and taking up a two-year scholarship in the summer of 2018.

He joins Keenan Appiah-Forson, Harrison Ashby, Sam Caiger, Dan Chesters, Will Greenidge and Joshua Okotcha in the list of seven West Ham United teenagers who put pen to paper.

Reacting to this development, academy manager Ricky Martin expressed his delight as he claimed the players deserved the contracts.

“This is a tremendous achievement. All our young players aspire to be offered a professional contract, and these players have all deservedly been rewarded for their efforts and development to date,” Martin told the club website.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kevin Keen, Mark Phillips and Billy Lepine, the three coaches for the U18s who have worked with these players all season and given them all the support and guidance they’ve required.

“These players are still progressing, and fully deserve the opportunity to move into the next stage of their development with the U23 squad. They have shown resilience, determination and dedication so far, so as long as they keep those traits up, they will give themselves every opportunity to progress further in the future.”

Jinadu revelled in his latest feat and claimed it was a dream come true.

“Dream come true and proud moment for me and my family signing my first professional contract at West Ham. The hard work continues! All the glory to God!” he wrote on Instagram.

He is expected to join his teammates at Chadwell Heath once training resumes after the coronavirus pandemic.

Having represented England at U15 and U16 level, the teenager switched allegiance to his country of birth at U17 level. He started in three games for the Golden Eaglets in their failed expedition at the 2019 Fifa U17 World Cup where Manu Garba’s boys crashed out in the round of 16 to the Netherlands.