It always felt like a matter of time before West Ham United tied Northern Ireland Under-17 captain Joel Kerr to a professional contract at the London Stadium.
The Hammers snapped up a ‘fantastic young footballer’ last summer when the teenage forward left Glentoran and crossed the Irish sea.
In his debut season on English soil, Joel Kerr has become a reliable source of goals and assists for West Ham United at youth level. Putting pen to paper on Tuesday – there are certainly worse 17th birthday presents – the club’s official website praised Kerr for ‘standing out [with] his dribbling and finishing’, as well as his versatility.
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Kerr, who has eight goals and five assists in 20 games for the Under-18s, has split his time between leading the line and playing out wide.
Joel Kerr reacts after signing professional terms at West Ham United
“It’s a really proud moment for me and my family,” says Kerr, who opted to pursue soccer full-time after helping Gaelic football outfit County Tyrone win the Ulster Minor Championship crown for a 26th time last year.
“It’s obviously something I’ve wanted to do and have been working towards for a while now, so it’s great to see that dream become a reality and sign professional.
“I feel like playing multiple sports has given me a bit of resilience. Some of those things have just helped me along the way in my football journey.
“My last 12 months have been really good. Hopefully that’s something I can keep building on to make sure the next 12 months are even better.”
Kerr matched JJ Gabriel in Manchester United clash
Under-21 talisman Josh Ajala fired West Ham to Premier League Cup glory in 2025 with a brace in the final against Reading.
Kerr can – sort of – emulate Ajala’s feat against Blackburn Rovers as the Hammers look to secure the U17 version of the tournament during April 15th decider.
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Joel Kerr and Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel traded goals during a meeting of two of the best Under-18 talents in British football recently.
There are arguably shades of a young Joe Cole, meanwhile, in the way Kerr swivels away from opposition defenders on either foot, wriggling through gaps before letting fly.
At Under-21 level, West Ham bounced back from National League Cup heartbreak by beating Blackburn 4-2 on Friday. Ajala was back on the scoresheet after an underwhelming performance in the defeat by Boreham Wood last week.
Greg Lincoln’s reserves have therefore secured a spot in the Premier League 2 play-offs.
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