Burke commits future to West Ham

West Ham have announced that central back Reece Burke has signed a new four-year contract with the Hammers.

The lifelong Hammer has been rewarded for an outstanding 18 months by putting pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at London Stadium until summer 2020. The Newham-born Academy graduate broke into the first-team squad in spring 2014, was named Young Hammer of the Year in 2014/15 and secured Bradford City’s Player of the Year award last season.

“Obviously as a West Ham fan as well as a player, it’s fantastic to be involved with the Club during this period,” said Burke to WHUFC.com. “It’s still sinking in to be honest, the move and the changes here. Over time, I really believe everything will settle in, and it will feel like home very, very soon. When the league season is really underway I think it will definitely feel more like home.”

“It’s an unreal Stadium to play in,” he continued. “It’s been done really well, the entire arena, and the pitch and surface is quality too. I played there against Juventus at right-back and really enjoyed the experience. If I’m playing again, which hopefully I will be, I’ll do my best to help the team progress to the group stages. I’m hoping to be involved, and if Slaven asks me to do a job anywhere on the pitch I’ll definitely be up for it. The Club has a few centre-halves this season so there’s a lot of competition there. If he asks me, I’m just going to say ‘Yes’.”
 
“This season for me, another loan move may happen for me,” he revealed. “I think I’m going to try and do Championship – the next step – and see how the season goes hopefully playing Championship football and I’ll hopefully get another load of games under my belt. I want to build on that experience and come back next year even better, just similarly building like I did last season. Hopefully I could have a similarly positive season this year in the Championship.”