- The club are delighted to announce that Marcus Browne has signed a new contract
- The deal keeps him at the club until 2020
- Browne said signing the new deal was "a very good feeling"
Forward Marcus Browne has pledged his future to West Ham United, signing a new contract to keep him at the club until 2020.
Browne has been rewarded with a new 3-and-a-half year deal after blossoming for the PL2 side this season.
The 19-year-old has appeared in all but one U23 fixture this year, and been one of the bright sparks in Terry Westley’s side.
After signing on the dotted line, Browne said: “It’s a very good feeling. I’ve been at the club since I was 8 years old so I’ve come a long way.
“Knowing that (a new contract is) the reward for working hard, doing the right things and being professional is a good feeling.”
Browne joined the club at the age of eight and quickly became known as one of the brightest young prospects in the English game.
He made his breakthrough into the U18 side during the 2014/15 season, putting in a number of man of the match displays and proving a real threat from dead ball situations.
Next season came a consistent run in the U21 side, which was then followed by his first appearance on the first team substitutes bench in a 2-2 draw away at Norwich City in February 2016.
It’s massive club. The new stadium is amazing and the supporters are brilliant.
Marcus Browne
Browne played a key role for the U21s during the 2015/16 season, helping the young Hammers win the Premier League Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Hull City in May.
The U23s’ playmaker has carried on in the same vain this year scoring five times and proving a real driving force in the midfield, behind top scorer Toni Martinez. Both were nominated for Premier League 2 Player of the Month in December.
Browne’s form this season has not only seen him rewarded with a new contract, but also a place on Slaven Bilic’s first team substitutes bench yet again.
“It’s massive club,” declared Browne. “The new stadium is amazing and the supporters are brilliant. I get a lot of support from the fans on Twitter and at U23 matches.
“I play in the No10 role which is an attacking midfield position. I’m quick, strong and I like to get on the ball and run at defenders.
“When I’ve worked with the gaffer (Slaven Bilic), he has always had a positive impact on me. He speaks to me a lot and encourages me to do the right things and also tells me how to improve. It’s good to have a manager that will talk to you and show his time for you.
“Before Terry (Westley) and Liam (Manning) came in, I didn’t really have a relationship with a coach. I’m always communicating with them, they let me know where I need to improve and it’s great working with them.
“I think I’ve had a good season, probably one of my best seasons. I think I’ve propelled in the right direction and at the right time. Now obviously I’m in and around the first team because of what I’ve been doing with the U23s.
“For the rest of the season my targets would probably be to play in the Premier League. Whether I go on loan or not and whether it happens before I go on loan, I don’t know but I’d love to make my debut in the Premier League.”