‘Mr West Ham’ Mark Noble has helped Patrick Kelly adapt to his new life in England after the Hammers confirmed the Coleraine teenager’s transfer to the London Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Former Irons captain Noble, who played 550 times for the Premier League club where he spent a remarkable 18 years, retired at the end of last season.
But the respected 35-year-old is still very much part of the West Ham fabric and has helped welcome Kelly to the Premier League club in recent days.
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Portstewart native Kelly was all smiles when he was photographed with Nolan - who is helping the 17-year-old integrate into life at the London Stadium - at United's Rush Green training ground on Thursday.
The talented midfielder's move from Coleraine to West Ham has been well documented for several weeks and a three-year deal has now been confirmed on the club’s website.
“I’m delighted to join West Ham,” Kelly told whufc.com. “This is a great opportunity for me. I’ve worked hard over the last couple of years, and I think West Ham is a good club for me to come into and continue my development, do well and hopefully have a good career in the game.
“The names that have come through the Academy of Football and gotten chances here are well known, so there is definitely a pathway here. It’s on the players to show they have what it takes, so I’m excited for that chance.”
Kelly made his senior debut for Coleraine in a 3-0 win over Carrick Rangers in September 2021 and went on to make 28 appearances for the Irish League club last season.
The mobile midfielder, who moves to the Hammers for an undisclosed fee, will initially link up with Mark Robson’s development squad at Chadwell Heath.
He is the third Northern Ireland U19 international to join West Ham United’s Academy in the past two years, alongside compatriots Michael Forbes and Callum Marshall.
Academy Manager Ricky Martin said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Patrick to the West Ham United Academy, and we are delighted he has chosen to continue his development with us.
“Patrick has shown true ability and a lot of potential over the past season with Coleraine and we are excited to have him as a part of the West Ham family. We hope he will enjoy a very successful career with the club.”
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