West Ham defender Ben Johnson has signed a new contract until the summer of 2022 despite making just one first-team appearance.
The 19-year-old has been with the Hammers since the age of seven and plays regularly for the club’s Under-23 side.
Converted from a winger to a full-back, the talented youngster was handed his senior debut in a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on February 27.
The defender played 63 minutes and, highly regarded at the London Stadium, has now penned a long-term deal to ply his trade in the East End.
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He continues to play for the Under-23s but has also trained with Manuel Pellegrini’s squad and was delighted to sort out his future. “Extending my stay here is fantastic news for me and my family,” he told the club’s website. “I found out that I was playing at Manchester City the day before.
I was nervous straight away, but then I felt calm and ready to play, told myself I deserve to be at this level now. “I’ve kept working hard each and every day and hopefully there are more opportunities to come.” Johnson comes from a successful footballing family as his cousin is former Tottenham and England defender Ledley King, while ex-Manchester United player Paul Parker is his uncle.
