Lewis Orford contract update at West Ham United after Aston Villa transfer approach
West Ham United gem Lewis Orford has agreed to a new five-year contract at the London Stadium, according to Sean Whetstone.
The 6ft 2 editor reported via the West Ham Football X account (21 August) that the teenager is set to pen a new deal in East London having previously been targeted by Premier League rivals Aston Villa.
Hammers legend Mark Noble, technical director Tim Steidten and David Sullivan were all involved in discussions and helped get the young midfielder’s new contract over the line alongside his representatives.
ExWHUEmployee had previously reported that Orford was set to sign a new contract with Julen Lopetegui’s side having been used as a makeweight in the Irons deal to try and sign Jhon Duran [The West Ham Way, 31 July].
Will Lewis Orford sign a new West Ham contract after Aston Villa transfer developments?
Several West Ham fans were incredibly frustrated when news broke that Orford could be heading to Aston Villa as part of the deal to bring Duran to East London, so this contract update is a huge step in the right direction.
The young midfielder is an incredibly promising prospect and there is an expectation that he will go on to be a key player at the London Stadium, so tying him down to a long-term deal feels like a masterstroke from the Irons.
Not only does it give the player some security around his future, but it also ensures any club looking to tap him over the coming seasons will have to pay a considerable transfer fee to secure his signature.
Hopefully, an official contract announcement should be made by the club sooner rather than later so that any fears over a potential summer exit can be put to bed before the transfer window slams shut at the end of August.
Lopetegui will likely be keen to hand Orford and some other young players some minutes in his first team once he gets his feet under the table at the London Stadium.
In other West Ham news, a senior Hammers source has responded to a new Tammy Abraham transfer update at the London Stadium
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