Southend United Sign Ryan Battrum on Loan from West Ham

Southend United have dipped into the Premier League talent pool, landing West Ham United right-back Ryan Battrum on a month’s loan as Kieron Dyer sharpens his promotion push.

The 21-year-old, who can also step into midfield, already knows what it feels like to face the Shrimpers. He lined up against Southend in a pre-season friendly for West Ham back in July, a run-out that clearly left an impression on both sides.

So when the call came, Battrum didn’t hesitate.

"When I heard about Southend's interest I was buzzing," he told the club’s website. He has watched them, played against them, and been struck by the scale of the support. Crowds of around 10,000 in the National League are not normal. They are a statement.

For Dyer, whose side sit fifth in the early National League table with just one defeat from seven, this is not a luxury signing. It is a calculated upgrade in a key area.

"It's always good to have two players for every position," the Southend boss said. Vontae Daley-Campbell has the shirt at right-back, but now he has a serious challenger breathing down his neck. That is exactly how Dyer wants it.

Battrum brings what Dyer demands from his full-backs: energy, power, strength, and the tactical flexibility to step inside and invert when the system calls for it. In the manager’s eyes, he “ticks all the boxes” – a modern full-back for a club trying to play a modern game in a bruising division.

The timing is no accident. Southend have built early-season momentum; now they are looking to sustain it. Competition on the flanks, especially in a side that asks so much of its wide defenders, can be the difference between a fast start and a lasting challenge.

Battrum will not have to wait long to make his mark. He is available for Tuesday night’s home clash with Tamworth, under the lights, in front of those same 10,000 he has already admired.

Now he gets to feel that noise from the inside.