West Ham club captain Mark Noble has agreed a one-year contract extension with the club, according to The Athletic.
The deal is noted as the final product of talks spanning the last few months, with the club servant having previously been due to be a free agent this summer.
No longer a mainstay of Moyes’ line-ups, the 34-year-old is still nonetheless an important club figure. His pastoral role is well-documented in The Athletic, with Noble having started to coach some academy sessions.
He has also taken 21-year-old Ben Johnson under his wing with the first-team and academy prospects at the club are said to often go to the midfielder for guidance.
His tutelage and presence is evidently seen as a key attribute that Noble possesses and has even taken transitional steps towards coaching at the club in what may be a sign of things to come.
Ahead of a potentially impending retirement, the extension is also believed to offer Noble the chance to receive a hero’s send-off from fans. He made his 500th appearance for the club against Watford in July, but ongoing restrictions prevented fan attendance.
Forever West Ham’s View
Supporters will be delighted to see such an iconic stalwart of the club tied down to fresh terms, albeit short-term ones, that will see him end his career with distinction and a proper reception from fans.
However, the news is laced with hints that Noble’s on-field exploits will not be the last that west Ham fans see from their veteran star.
There is a chance that Noble could earn his coaching badges at youth level with the club, and may work his way into the backroom setup within the next few years.
