West Ham snap up Livorno striker Alessandro Diamanti for £6m

Happy Hammers: Alessandro Diamanti has signed for West Ham West Ham have confirmed the signing of Livorno forward Alessandro Diamanti, on a five-year contract. Sportsmail understands the Hammers have paid around £6m for the player. Diamanti's arrival will ease West Ham's striker crisis, with injuries forcing Carlton Cole to play up front. The 26-year-old scored 18 times in 37 league and cup matches last season,including six goals in the final ten matches. After successfully passing a medical, he told the club's official website: 'I am very happy to be at West HamUnited and to get the chance to play for Gianfranco Zola. 'This is a big club and I want to give everything for the supporters. 'I chose West Ham because the club has the tradition of playing great football. 'Also because the West Ham fans are reallypassionate and that is the way I am.' The club's chief executive Scott Duxbury said: 'I am delighted we have been able to secure this transfer at last as we feel that Alessandro will be a perfect complement to our existing attacking options. 'It has been a case of working around the clock to ensure we landed another of our key targets and the three of us are grateful for the supporters' understanding of what we are trying to achieve with our exciting squad.' The Hammers had been strongly linked with a move for Diamanti after failing to land Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh. Lazio's Goran Pandev had been another player the Premier League club had reportedly showed an interest in.

Source: Daily_Mail