West Ham United Women are delighted to confirm that 16-year-old forward Princess Ademiluyi has been promoted from the U21 WSL Academy side and handed a squad number for the remainder of the campaign.
The Gravesend-born player has been with the Hammers for five years, having attended her first trial for the Hammers having just turned 12-years-old, and has since worked her way up the different age groups before being invite by manager Paul Konchesky to train with the first-team squad at the beginning of pre-season.
Now, after a number of sessions with the first-team, including during the February international break, Ademiluyi has now been assigned the No60 shirt and can be selected for senior fixtures.
The forward has been a regular for Stephen Opoka’s U21 side, for whom she has scored eight goals in 12 starts this season, and she becomes the first player to make the journey through the pathway into the first team.
Now Ademiluyi is looking forward to continuing to work hard and gaining as much as she possibly can from working with established WSL players for the remainder of the season.
“This is a massive opportunity for me and one I want to grasp,” she told whufc.com.
“I’ve been with the academy for five years now and have worked through all the different levels, but I never expected to be given an opportunity like this at my age, so I’m really excited for what’s to come next.
“Coming into train with the first team during the season has been really good, I’m learning about the intensity and what it takes to be a professional athlete. Everyone has been so welcoming to me, and I’ve really enjoyed the experience so far.
"Now I need to keep working hard and continuing pushing on with my development, and I’m sure working that I’ll be able to do that in this environment.”
Konchesky said that he is excited to see how Ademiluyi will develop moving forward now that she will spend more time training with his first team squad.
He said: "We've been really pleased with Princess - she's come into training and shown a really great attitude. She's a bubbly character, she works hard and I think she realises what it means to wear the badge and be at this Club.
"We have really high hopes for her, and we're excited to see what comes of this next step."
Women’s Academy manager Opoka said that Ademiluyi has a brilliant opportunity to work with established WSL stars.
“It’s brilliant for Princess to have the chance to go in a train with the first team and now be rewarded with a squad number. She’s had to work hard to get up to speed with the demands of the first team and she’s still adapting to that.
“I can remember her first joining us over at Beckton and it’s been really exciting to watch her develop over the last couple of years. The hard work is only just beginning for her, now it’s a case of earning and working, and hopefully an opportunity presents where she can be in the matchday squad before the season ends.”
For enquiries about the West Ham United Women's Academy, please email [email protected]
