Soccer

West Ham sign Felipe Anderson from Lazio for club-record fee

€38 million Brazilian forward becomes Manuel Pellegrini’s seventh summer rectuit

Brazilian forward Felipe Anderson has joined West Ham from Lazio. Photograph: Paulo Bruno/Getty

Will Unwin
Sun Jul 15 2018 - 12:12

West Ham have signed midfielder Felipe Anderson from Lazio for a club-record fee.

The Premier League side will pay an initial fee of £33.5 million (€38m) for the Brazilian, which could potentially rise to £42m (€47.5m), after the 25-year-old midfielder signed a deal until 2022 at the London stadium.

Anderson, once capped by Brazil, scored eight goals for Lazio in 32 games last season, helping them to fifth place in Serie A. He spent five years in Italy, having moved to Rome from Santos in 2013.

“I feel really happy and fulfilled to join West Ham United,” Anderson told West Ham’s official website. “West Ham is a club with a lot of tradition, lots of great players have played here, like Bobby Moore, Carlos Tevez and [PAOLO]Di Canio.

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“They were great players and idols here, and I’m aiming big, who knows, maybe I could hit their heights and be a legend here too. I’m really happy to be here. It’s a dream come true.

"I want to thank the owner, David Sullivan, because he made a big effort to bring me here. I know how difficult it was, so I have to thank him a lot, and I hope I can repay his faith in me on the pitch with goals and winning games."

It has already been a busy summer for new West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini, who has now signed seven players for the club, as he looks to improve on last season's 13th placed finish. Anderson joins Ryan Fredericks, Lukasz Fabianski, Issa Diop, Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko and Fabián Balbuena.

(Guardian service)

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