Carlton Cole Signs New Five-Year Contract With West Ham United

Striker Carlton Cole has signed a new five-year contract with West Ham.

The 25-year-old, the club's top striker with four goals from 12 games, joined the club from London rivals Chelsea in July 2006.

He told his club's official website: "I am very pleased to sign. It is nice that I can just focus on playing good football for the club."

He added: "I know now I am here for quite a while so it is time to knuckle down. The manager has 100% faith in me and I have got 100% faith in him and our team as well.

"It is good that I have got this opportunity to show West Ham supporters, and prove to myself, that I can be a big part of the prospects to come."

Cole, who has benefited from the injury-enforced absence of England striker Dean Ashton, continued: "We are playing some good football, the results are starting to turn in our favour and the only way is up from now."

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