West Ham signee Pierre Ekwah wants to emulate Declan Rice, Mark Noble

West Ham United's new boy Pierre Ekwah Elimby has revealed he wants the emulate the achievements of midfielder Declan Rice and legend Mark Noble.

The Hammers completed the signing of the France-born Ghanaian player Pierre Ekwah Elimby from Chelsea on Wednesday after passing trials.

The 19-year-old defensive midfielder had been with the Chelsea youth teams since 2018.

Ekwah has signed a three-year contract for Hammers and will begin his spell at the London club in the academy as he looks up to the Rice and Noble.

"I feel really good signing for West Ham," Ekwah said.

"I’m really happy in myself. I want to thank the club for the opportunity they have given me. It’s a big achievement for me."

"I really think that West Ham is a club where everyone is working altogether. The U23s and the first teamwork really close to each other, and I think that young players here have got a good chance of breaking into the first team, as they have done in the past.

"Loads of young players have reached the first team: Declan Rice has been captain, and he’s so young and playing so well. Mark Noble is an unbelievable player who’s been there and done the same. I just want to do something similar to them."

"When West Ham gave me the opportunity to come in for two weeks, I took it, saw how the club worked, and I just enjoyed it. They gave me the opportunity to sign and I said ‘yeah, I’m taking this shirt away!"

Ekwah is eligible to represent Ghana despite featuring for France at the U16 level.