Academy striker Dylan Tombides has signed his first professional contract with West Ham United.
The 17-year-old put pen to paper on Monday after impressing for both the reserves and youth team last season, culminating in a place among the substitutes in the final home Premier League fixture of the season against Sunderland in May.
Tombides also appeared and scored for Australia at the 2011 FIFA Under-17 World Cup. It was during that tournament in Mexico that Tombides was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He immediately returned to England and the club's medical staff arranged for a further assessment by doctors.
The youngster has already started his first course of chemotherapy at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, which is the standard treatment for his condition. He has since returned home to rest and will continue further treatment in the coming weeks.
Speaking when the news was confirmed, club medical officer Sean Howlett said: "Dylan is receiving the best possible care. All the doctors involved have advised Dylan that he will make a full recovery in terms of his illness and his ability to return to his football career.
"He is undergoing the standard series of treatments for his condition which is a course of chemotherapy."
Tombides has been a very welcome visitor to both Chadwell Heath and Little Heath over the past fortnight.