Football: Glentoran youngster seals West Ham United move
Glentoran Football Club Academy prospect Joel Kerr has signed a long-term contract with English Premier League side West Ham United, committing his future to the Hammers until 2028.
The 16-year-old, from the Rock in County Tyrone, will make the move to London this summer after attracting interest from several top clubs across the UK and Europe.
A Northern Ireland Under-17 international, left-footed winger Kerr is widely recognised as one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from the country in recent years. He has also featured at left-back for Glentoran’s Reserves this season.
Joel joined the Glentoran Academy in 2020, and has consistently played above his age group, establishing himself as a standout performer at every level.
In 2023, he captained Glentoran’s U14s to a National League title before leading the U16s to the NIFL Academy League crown in 2024.
His rapid development at both Academy and Reserve level has earned him international honours for Northern Ireland from U14 through to U17, along with a starring role for County Tyrone at the SuperCupNI in both 2023 and 2024.
Kerr has only just returned from international duty, having featured in all three of Northern Ireland’s UEFA European U17 Championship qualifiers against Slovenia, Israel, and England.
Andy Mathieson, Head of Player Development at Glentoran, said: “We are absolutely delighted for Joel and his family. This is a fantastic opportunity for a young player who has shown exceptional dedication, maturity and talent throughout his time in the Glentoran Academy. He’s a natural footballer with real quality, but it’s his attitude and work ethic that truly set him apart.
“From an early age, Joel stood out as a real prospect — someone with undoubted ability and the mindset to match. He’s worked incredibly hard on his game and always listened to the Academy staff. That blend of talent and mentality meant we always had high hopes for him. We’re excited to watch Joel continue his development at West Ham and we’ll be supporting him every step of the way.”
Kerr becomes the latest Glentoran Academy graduate to earn a move to a professional club in the United Kingdom.
Recent moves include George Feeney, who joined Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2024 and Rhys Walsh, who earned a move to EFL Championship club Sunderland in January of this year.
Conor Haughey signed with Fleetwood Town in 2023, while Mason Munn and Francis Turley completed moves to Scottish Premiership sides Rangers and Celtic respectively in 2022.
The Academy also continues to develop talent for the Club’s senior squad, with current first-team players such as Aaron Wightman, Charlie Lindsay, Jonny Russell and James Douglas all having progressed through the Glentoran ranks.
Paul Millar, Sporting Director at Glentoran, said: “West Ham are gaining a fantastic young footballer. We have no doubt Joel will be a success within their highly respected youth system and we’ll be watching his progress with pride."