Glentoran Football Club is delighted to confirm that highly rated 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, Kerr is widely recognised as one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from the country in recent years.
A left-footed winger with outstanding technical ability, Joel combines pace, power and football intelligence, allowing him to operate across the front line as a winger, striker or number ten. He has also featured at left-back for Glentoran’s Reserves this season.
Joel joined the Glentoran Academy in 2020, and under the guidance of the Club’s expert coaching staff, he 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 Budget Energy SuperCupNI in both 2023 and 2024.
Joel 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.”_
_“Joel’s move is another huge boost for our Academy and underlines our position as one of the leading youth development programmes in the country. Whether players break into the Glentoran first team or move across the water to professional clubs, our focus is to develop technically gifted, tactically intelligent and well-rounded young footballers who are ready for the next step on their football career.”_
**Michael Jackson, Academy Manager at Glentoran,** added: **“**_I’m absolutely delighted for Joel and his family. No one deserves this opportunity more right now. He’s earned it through sheer determination, consistency and the standards he sets for himself and those around him._
_“When he was part of our U16 NIFL squad last season, every single player looked up to him. He led by example through his passion and drive and he played a huge part in helping that group win the league title._
_“It’s incredibly rewarding to see a player like Joel progress, not just because of his ability, but because of the character and leadership he’s shown throughout his journey with us.”_
Joel becomes the latest in a long line of Glentoran Academy graduates to earn a move to a professional club in the United Kingdom, reinforcing the Academy’s reputation as a proven pathway to elite-level football.
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 2025. 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._
_“This move is another proud moment for Glentoran and clearly demonstrates the strength of the development pathway within our Academy. Joel is the latest in a long line of talented players to take the next step into the professional game. He’s a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work, consistency, commitment and, of course, undoubted ability._
_“Credit must also go to Michael Jackson and Stephen Lowry in the Academy, whose influence on Joel, both as a footballer and as a young man, has been instrumental in preparing him for this next stage, as well as to his family, who have made countless sacrifices to support him over many years._
_“While Joel begins an exciting new chapter, our focus remains on nurturing the next batch of Academy talent coming through, players who will either make an impact in our first team or follow similar paths into full-time football across the UK and beyond.”_
