French-born Ghana midfielder Pierre Ekwah Elimby says his favourite position is definitely playing No8 – box-to-box midfielder“ after signing for English Premier League side West Ham United.
The Hammers on Wednesday afternoon, announced the signing of the promising teen midfielder from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee.
The 19-year-old signs for the Hammers on an initial three-year deal, with the option to extend for a further year.
Ekwah had previously spent two weeks on trial in Claret and Blue, featuring in the U23s’ final two Premier League 2 Division 1 matches of the 2020/21 season – both against Arsenal – and scoring in the latter one.
A powerful defensive midfielder, also capable of dropping into the back line, Ekwah is pleased to be continuing his development within West Ham and the Academy of Football.
A France Under-16 international from the small village of Avrainville, situated in the department of Essonne just south of Paris, Ekwah counts RC Arpajonnais and Bretigny FCS among his youth clubs.
The midfielder enjoyed three formative years as a teenage footballer at the highly renowned national academy INF Clairefontaine, whose graduates include the likes of Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka and Kylian Mbappé.
Ekwah subsequently spent a year with Ligue 1 side FC Nantes, before joining Chelsea’s Academy in the summer of 2018, where he made his Premier League 2 and UEFA Youth League debuts as a 16-year-old
Now keen to progress further at West Ham, the midfielder said: “My favourite position is definitely playing No8 – box-to-box midfielder.
“I like creative players, and players who break things up as well. I’m a ball player as well, so that’s the position I really enjoy playing in.
“I would say, because I’m French, Zinedine Zidane [was my idol]! He was my guy. [I also like] Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, Claude Makélélé…
“I wasn’t looking at just one player, I was literally looking at every single team who had that midfielder who was the break-up player or the playmaker, I was just looking at them and taking in everything I could. I still do it when I watch football.
“I’m really looking forward to getting started here. It’s a big thing.
