West Ham under-21s captain Michael Forbes has agreed to join Bristol Rovers, sources have told Football Insider.
The centre-back is headed to the League One club after agreeing the terms of a loan deal for next season.
Forbes, 20, is yet to make his senior debut for the Hammers and will now have the opportunity to experience his first taste of first-team football.
Despite not yet having featured for West Ham, Michael O’Neill handed Forbes his Northern Ireland debut in November 2023 as he played five minutes in a 4-0 defeat to Finland.
Bristol Rovers agree deal to sign West Ham gem Michael Forbes
Forbes arrived at West Ham in 2020, moving to East London from Northern Ireland as he was handed a two-year scholarship deal.
He later went on to sign his first professional contract at the end of the 2021-22 season.
The club announced in January that the centre-back had signed a new contract to keep him at the London Stadium until 2026.
Forbes was named on the bench as part of the Europa Conference League squad when the Hammers faced FCSB in November 2022, but a run of injuries saw his season stall.
Last season the 20-year-old made 12 appearances across all competitions as West Ham finished second in the Premier League 2 and reached the EFL Trophy round of 16.
He is set to be handed an opportunity to experience first-team football with the move to League One, with a view to breaking into the first team at West Ham in the future.