English Premier League
West Ham sign eSports star, give him official squad number
English Premier League

West Ham sign eSports star, give him official squad number

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:30 a.m. ET

West Ham announced a surprise signing on Friday: Sean 'Dragonn' Allen.

Not familiar with the lad? Well, Allen isn't as much of a soccer player; so much as he is a FIFA player.

That's right, Allen is an eSports star, and West Ham have broken ground as the first-ever football club in the UK to sign an official eSports player. You might recognize Allen from the 2016 FIFA Interactive World Cup, where he dropped a heartbreaking final to Mohamed Al-Bacha.

Despite the setback, Allen caught the eye of the Hammers, who announced the signing as a signal of their "exciting foray into the ever-growing world of eSports."

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And if you think it's all just a gimmick, don't. Allen will actually wear a West Ham kit when he plays at events, and has been given an official squad number (50). The 24-year-old will rock the claret and blue strip beginning with Saturday's Play Like A Legend Grand Final.

Hammers boss Slaven Bilic even called the signing a "big move" for the club, adding, "I hope he can now go on to represent the club with pride across the globe -- he will certainly have the support of all the lads whenever he dons the claret and blue."

The eSports movement is only gaining more and more momentum. Considering they're a club with a briight future and in the midst of fighting for European soccer at the moment, West Ham being at the forefront of a savvy shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

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