Young Nigerian footballer Elisha Sowunmi has reached an important milestone by signing his first professional contract with Premier League side West Ham United.
The club shared the great news on their social media platforms, confirming that the 17-year-old has officially joined the professional ranks.
“West Ham United is delighted to announce that Academy forward Elisha Sowunmi has signed his first professional contract with the Club.”
Sowunmi has been with West Ham since he was just 9 years old. He signed his contract at the club’s Chadwell Heath training ground, joined by his proud parents. For over a decade, this place has been like a second home to him.
After putting pen to paper, Sowunmi expressed how happy he was. He said that becoming a professional footballer has always been his dream, and making it come true feels amazing.
He also mentioned how special it is to reach this point alongside teammates he’s grown up with at the club. He’s hoping they can keep improving together with the U21 squad.
Looking back on the 2024/25 season, Sowunmi said it was one of his best ever. He was proud of scoring many goals and helping his team win the Premier League Cup — a memory he’ll always be proud of.
Now, he’s ready for the next step. Sowunmi is excited to join the U21s at Rush Green, where the first team also trains. He knows it won’t be easy, but he’s ready to work hard and keep developing his game.
Elisha started his football journey with local team Ryan FC in Chingford. Later, he joined the West Ham Academy and signed a full-time scholarship in 2023. He impressed everyone in his first season with the U18s and had a standout 2024/25 campaign.
Able to play across different attacking positions, Sowunmi ended the season as the U18s’ top scorer with 16 goals and 5 assists. His season included two hat-tricks, one of which came in a big win over champions Aston Villa.
He also played in every match of the team’s successful U18 Premier League Cup run. He scored twice and assisted three goals — including the key pass for the winner in the final by Josh Ajala. That victory marked the first time West Ham ever won the trophy.
Sowunmi is now one of several young talents — including Ezra Mayers, Emeka Adiele, Airidas Golambeckis, Jethro Medine, and Riley Hargan — who have committed their futures to West Ham United.
