West Ham show intent by securing the Hammer of the Year’s future

West Ham have announced that Hammer of the Year Aaron Cresswell has signed a new five year contract with the club with an option of an extra two years.

The bumper contract will be music to the fans’ ears as Cresswell was the real standout performer last season, providing an excellent attacking presence down the left-flank.

His performances led to a number of rumours linking him with some of England’s biggest clubs but it is now clear that Cresswell’s long-term future lies at West Ham.

It’s hard to believe that only a year ago Cresswell was playing in the Championship for Ipswich Town. Now, Cresswell is delighted to have extended his stay at West Ham:

“It’s exciting times for me to pen a new deal at West Ham,” he told West Ham TV. “Thankfully last year was a good season for me personally to play every minute of every game, so it’s nice to finally commit my future to West Ham.

“I was at Ipswich 12 months ago and when West Ham came in for me there was only one place for me.

I jumped straight in the car, down the A12 and signed for West Ham. So for me to play for a club like West Ham, week in week out, is massive and these are exciting times.

“It’s going to be a massive year for us, the last year at Upton Park. But it’s exciting times going into one of the best stadiums in Europe, even in the world. It’s going to be a good summer, hopefully a few more faces will come in and we’ll have a good year.”

Cresswell echoes the thoughts of all West Ham fans as the club enters an exciting new era. The news comes on the same day that former Hammers left-back Julian Dicks was announced as an assistant first team coach, joining Slaven Bilic’s backroom staff. Cresswell will be hoping to follow the Terminator’s footsteps at the club as the Hammers have lacked a real star at left-back since Dicks.

Keeping hold of the ever-present defender is a fantastic move for the club and certainly shows that West Ham are heading in the right direction. It’s certainly shaping up to be a very successful summer so far.