West Ham starlet Daniel Kearns today targeted a place in the first team after signing a professional contract at Upton Park.
The 17-year-old winger agreed a one-year deal and joins Matt Fry, Tony Brookes, Oliver Lee and Anthony Edgar in progressing from the Academy as manager Gianfranco Zola looks to maintain the club's promotion of their young players.
Players including Mark Noble and Freddie Sears have come through the ranks in recent seasons and Kearns believes he can emulate their achievements once he learns his trade out on loan.
"I'm absolutely delighted to have signed," he said. "All the other boys signed their contracts while I was still away so I'm pleased to have got it done and dusted.
"The main aim for the season is to get another contract at the end of it. I'm hoping to get a regular spot in the reserves and maybe try and go out on loan during the season. And from there, I hope to push on and get into the first team. You never know what's going to happen."
Meanwhile, winger Julien Faubert admits his future at the club remains undecided. The 25-year-old Frenchman, who finished last season on loan at Real Madrid, said: "Maybe I will stay, maybe I won't. I will try to do my best and we'll see what happens."
