West Ham have completed a swoop for Chelsea teenager Frank Nouble after signing the highly rated striker on a five-year deal

West Ham have completed a swoop for Chelsea teenager Frank Nouble after signing the highly rated striker on a five-year deal this week.

The Hammers have agreed an undisclosed fee for the 17-year-old, who stunned Stamford Bridge officials last month by snubbing a contract offer in a bid to secure first-team football elsewhere.

Nouble has been tracked by Arsenal youth team coach Liam Brady for the past two years and was the subject of interest from several Premier League clubs.

But the 6ft 3in hitman opted for a switch to West Ham, where he will be reunited with former Blues assistant boss Steve Clarke, who is Gianfranco Zola's No2 at Upton Park.

Now Nouble hopes to emulate Carlton Cole, who has developed into an England international after quitting Stamford Bridge to join West Ham.

He said: "I am reaching the age where I want to be in and around the first team more than anything - learning from the big players that have done really well here, like Carlton Cole. I want to emulate what they have done.

"West Ham are renowned for bringing through young players and hopefully I can be in the next batch. I just want to do well up front and excite the fans."

The Hammers have also taken Roma forward Simone Bezziccheri, 16, on trial.