West Ham United have strengthened their attacking options by completing the signing of Norway Under-21 international Edvin Austbo from Viking FK, the club has confirmed. The 21-year-old winger arrives for an undisclosed fee and becomes the seventh new addition to the squad this summer.
Austbo has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at the London Stadium, with the option for the club to extend his stay by an additional year. He has been handed the No. 35 shirt as he begins life in English football, joining a club he has followed since childhood.
Speaking after finalising his move, Austbo expressed his excitement at joining the Hammers and outlined his ambitions to help the team return to the Premier League. "It feels really good to be a Hammer," he said. "Ever since I knew about the interest, I wanted to come here and have butterflies and am really looking forward to start playing for this amazing club."
The winger also touched on the scale of West Ham's ambitions, noting they aligned closely with his own personal goals as a player. "Obviously, the ambitions of the club are big and it's also for me as a player," he added. "The talks I had with Nuno and Nils Koppen were amazing and I just felt from the start that this was a good match and that I really wanted to come here."
Austbo revealed that his affinity for West Ham dates back to his youth, when he would watch English football on television in Norway. "I watched English football on TV when I was a little kid. Everyone in Norway knows West Ham. It's such a big club and a club that belongs on the highest level in England," he said.
The move caps a productive period of scouting from West Ham's recruitment department, who have long monitored the young winger's progress in Norwegian football. Director of Player Recruitment Nils Koppen praised Austbo's development and expressed confidence that he can make an impact in England.
"Edvin is a player we have tracked closely for some time and we are very happy to bring him to West Ham United," Koppen said. "He has made very impressive progress and built strong experience in Norway, and there has been a lot of interest in him across Europe."
Koppen went on to highlight the qualities that convinced the club to pursue the deal, describing Austbo as a versatile attacking talent capable of adapting quickly to the demands of the English game. "We believe he has the right attributes, strengths and potential to be successful in English football. He is a quick, energetic and intelligent player, who will bring another positive option to our attacking profile," he said.
The recruitment chief also underlined the club's commitment to supporting Austbo's transition into a new league and culture. "Edvin is highly motivated to take this next step in his career, and everyone here at the Club will do everything we can to help him to settle in as quickly as possible," Koppen added.
Austbo's arrival continues what has been an active transfer window for West Ham, who have already brought in Keiber Lamadrid, Joel Veltman, Manor Solomon, Arne Engels, Joel Piroe and Divine Mukasa as the club looks to rebuild and push for an immediate return to the top flight of English football.
With his energetic style and attacking versatility, Austbo is expected to provide fresh competition and depth to West Ham's forward line as preparations continue ahead of the new season.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.