West Ham United have announced the signing of 17-year-old forward Sean Moore from NIFL Premiership side Cliftonville.
The highly-rated teenager has put pen to paper on a three-year professional contract until June 2026 and will link up with the Hammers' Under-21s squad.
The likes of Newcastle United, Everton, Brighton & Hove Albion, Ipswich Town and Celtic were all credited with an interest in Moore, but David Moyes's West Ham have won the race for his signature and are understood to have paid an initial £170,000 to lure him away from Cliftonville.
Moore joins Michael Forbes, Callum Marshall, Josh Briggs and Patrick Kelly in coming through the ranks in Northern Ireland and signing for the Hammers.
Speaking to West Ham's official website on his arrival at the club, Moore said: "I started playing football when I was six, so it's pretty amazing to sign a professional contract at West Ham United. I am absolutely delighted to join West Ham. It's a massive club, so it was an easy decision for me.
"Last year, West Ham won the FA Youth Cup, and the first team also won the UEFA Europa Conference League, which was a brilliant achievement.
"It's a family-orientated club too. I have heard nothing but good things about West Ham. I know Callum Marshall, Patrick Kelly, and Josh Briggs well, and they told me how good it is here and how much they have enjoyed it.
We are pleased to welcome Sean Moore to the Academy of Football 🖊
— West Ham United (@WestHam) June 30, 2023
"It's clear there's a pathway to the first team from the academy as well, which is important for young players such as myself. I would love to play for the first team one day. I'm hoping to make a good impression when I start with the Under-21s and hopefully do very well in east London."
Academy manager Kenny Brown added: "I would personally like to welcome Sean to West Ham United and wish him all the very best with us. We are delighted to bring another talented young player to the Academy of Football, as we keep building for the future.
"Sean is a dynamic, pacey winger who we have been monitoring over the past couple of years and one we believe has a really bright future in east London. Sean has been a prominent player for Cliftonville in Northern Ireland, and having just finished a successful season with them, we are excited to have him join our U21 squad here at Rush Green.
"We are all looking forward to working with him at West Ham United, a place we all know will give him the best opportunity to develop as a footballer and hopefully reach his full potential."
Moore signed his first professional contract with Cliftonville last summer before enjoying a breakthrough season in 2022-23, scoring five goals and registering three assists in 26 league appearances to help the NIFL side finish fourth in the top-flight table.
The teenage forward was named in the NIFL Premiership Team of the Year and won the NI Football Writers' Association Young Player of the Year award.
Moore represented Northern Ireland at Under-18s level but recently switched allegiances to the Republic of Ireland and made his Under-19s debut in March, coming on as a substitute in a UEFA European Under-19s Championship qualifier against Greece.
