West Ham United beat off stiff competition to announce the signing of striker Frank Nouble from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee on 21 July 2009. He made his Hammers first-team debut as a late substitute in the 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday 15 August 2009.

With several clubs keen on securing his services after he turned down a contract at Stamford Bridge, Nouble had previously had no hesitation in deciding to join the Hammers on a five-year deal. He made his debut when a West Ham XI took on Thurrock later that week and promptly scored a last-minute winner. In his next outing, two more goals followed to make it a dream start to his life in east London.

Speaking to whufc.com during that whirlwind first week, he said: "The news came out that I rejected at Chelsea and obviously I thank them for what they have done for me but I am just happy that a club like West Ham came in for me. They showed their interest and for me it was a case of saying 'Yes' straight away. I am just happy to be here."

He enjoyed a loan spell at West Bromwich Albion in February 2010, playing three times, having made his first Barclays Premier League start at Aston Villa the previous month. By this time, he was an established member of the England Under-19 set-up and featured in qualifying for the 2010 UEFA European U19 Championship.

Nouble was persuaded to move to the Hammers by fellow south Londoner Carlton Cole - another ex-Chelsea player.

A former U17 international, who also has an allegiance to Ivory Coast through his parents, the powerful and speedy forward was Chelsea's leading scorer in the FA Premier Academy League in the 2008/09 season, netting 12 times in 20 appearances, including a hat-trick against Fulham.

Nouble, who had been with Chelsea since the age of eleven, also scored twice in ten Barclays Premier Reserve League games in 2008/09, while he added a stunning further strike in the FA Youth Cup victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford in November.

The striker ended that campaign training under Guus Hiddink alongside the likes of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka with Chelsea's first-team squad.

Nouble was already well known to Zola and Clarke and not just because of his Chelsea connection. The forward scored twice against West Ham last season, notching in Chelsea's 4-3 reserve defeat by the Hammers in December, as well as the Blues' 4-2 Academy win at Little Heath last October.

He scored six U18 goals in 2007/08, making his debut for Chelsea's reserve team in November 2007. He became a full-time scholar at Stamford Bridge in June 2008.