Edvin Austbø Joins West Ham United on Four-Year Deal

Edvin Austbø has completed his move to West Ham United, signing a four-year deal at London Stadium with an option for a further season, as the club continues to arm itself for a promotion push back to the Premier League.

The 21-year-old Norwegian forward will wear the No 35 shirt and arrives with a clear sense of what this step means for his career – and for a club determined to climb straight out of the Championship.

“It feels really good to be a Hammer,” Austbø said, speaking after sealing the move. “Ever since I knew about the interest, I wanted to come here and have butterflies and am really looking forward to start playing for this amazing club.”

The excitement is mutual. West Ham have been tracking him for a long time and see him as a key part of a younger, more energetic attacking unit.

“Obviously, the ambitions of the club are big and it's also for me as a player,” he added, underlining that this is not a sideways move but a launchpad.

The deal follows extensive talks with head coach Nuno and West Ham’s Director of Player Recruitment Nils Koppen, conversations that convinced Austbø this was the right stage for his next act.

“The talks I had with Nuno and Nils Koppen were amazing and I just felt from the start that this was a good match and that I really wanted to come here,” he said.

For Austbø, this is also the fulfilment of a long-held fascination with English football. The pull of West Ham, he insists, stretched back to childhood.

“I watched English football on TV when I was a little kid. Everyone in Norway knows West Ham. It's such a big club and a club that belongs on the highest level in England.”

Koppen, who led the pursuit, made no secret of how long the club have had the young forward in their sights.

“Edvin is a player we have tracked closely for some time and we are very happy to bring him to West Ham United,” he said. “He has made very impressive progress and built strong experience in Norway, and there has been a lot of interest in him across Europe.”

That European interest only sharpened West Ham’s determination to get the deal done. They believe his profile fits exactly what Nuno wants from his front line.

“We believe he has the right attributes, strengths and potential to be successful in English football,” Koppen continued. “He is a quick, energetic and intelligent player, who will bring another positive option to our attacking profile.”

The club also point to his mentality as a major factor in the move. Austbø arrives hungry, not just hopeful.

“Edvin is highly motivated to take this next step in his career, and everyone here at the Club will do everything we can to help him to settle in as quickly as possible,” Koppen said.

Now the stage is set: a young striker with something to prove, a proud club fighting to reclaim its Premier League status, and a No 35 shirt waiting to be filled with goals.