Indian footballer Aditi Chauhan signed up by EPL club West Ham United

LONDON: Indian footballer Aditi Chauhan has inked a deal with English Premier League (EPL) club West Ham United's ladies team, becoming the first woman player from the country to have been signed up by a top club in England.

The club said that Aditi, who has represented the under-19 Indian national women's team at AFC Qualifiers in Malaysia, was a late addition to their squad during pre-season.

Chauhan's football journey kicked off when her school coach asked her to participate in Delhi under-19 team trials. She was appreciated for her contribution to India winning the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) women's cup in 2013.

West Ham Ladies are currently in the Football Association's (FA) Women's Premier League Southern Division, a league in the third level in the women's football structure in England.

West Ham's senior men's team is a regular at England's top-flight football, the EPL.

"Great news for Indian football! West Ham have signed Indian int'l goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan for their ladies team," West Ham Ladies tweeted yesterday.

"CHAUHAN: Plenty of love on Twitter today for our new Indian international goalkeeper @aditi03chauhan from back home in India! Hi all! #COY," the club added today.

Aditi tweeted, "Thank you all for the overwhelming response and wishes. I will work hard to make this opportunity count @westhamladies.

"There is no other way but to improve from here. We need to build ourselves back, get together and move forward."