West Ham have signed young left-back Ollie Scarles on a long-term contract, according to breaking reports from Hammers ITK ExWHUEmployee.
The news is a huge boost to the West Ham Academy, following the recent revelation that midfielder Lewis Orford had committed his future to the club by signing a five-year deal.
Scarles spent much of last season recovering from injury and is now in the process of rediscovering his best form. The hardworking defender is often described as having a ‘wand of a left foot’. His battle for fitness has been a massive struggle, but he appeared to have made a full recovery when I saw him play recently against Reading in the EFL Trophy.
The fact that Scarles’ contract has come so soon after Orford’s appears to signify a shift at West Ham, who have struggled in recent years to secure their top young academy talent to professional contracts. It is understood that sporting director Mark Noble played a significant role in securing deals for both young players.