Source: Daily_Mail
West Ham set to seal £5.7 million swoop for striker Alessandro Diamanti
West Ham United appear to be close to agreeing a deal to sign highly-rated Italian striker Alessandro Diamanti from Livorno, according to the Italian club's president Aldo Spinelli.
With a potentially career-threatening injury to Dean Ashton forcing Gianfranco Zola to find other attacking players to support the squad's sole striker Carlton Cole, the Hammers boss looks to have finally found his man.
'It's practically done for Diamanti to West Ham,' Spinelli told the press this morning.
Diamond in the rough: Diamanti shot his side to promotion last season
'The player deserves to make the step-up after his stint at Livorno.Just a few details need to be finalised before the move becomesofficial.'
According to the club's sporting director, Nelso Ricci, the east London club will pay around £5.7 million in instalments for the 26-year-old.
'West Ham will pay €6.5 million over three years. We couldn't have kept a player who wanted to leave for another club.
'Diamanti told us he wanted to go to England as it was a chance of a lifetime for him,' added Ricci.
On Monday, Diamanti said joining West Ham would be a 'dream move'.
The deep-lying forward, who scored 15 goals in Serie B last season, had attracted the attention of Inter Milan earlier in the summer.