West Ham completed the club-record signing of £45million striker Sebastien Haller — and director of football Mario Husillos quickly insisted their ambition won’t stop there.
Haller sealed his switch, on a five-year-deal worth around £70,000-a-week, after helping shoot German club Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League semi-finals last season.
The 25-year-old Frenchman will join up with his new team-mates when they return from the ongoing Premier League Asia Trophy tournament in China.
Husillos said: “The signing of Sebastien is a big investment and another clear signal of our ambition and desire to bring success to West Ham United and our supporters, and we look forward to seeing the big contribution he will make in the coming seasons.
“It is no secret that we have been in the process of identifying a top-class striker to add to the squad this summer, and much work has gone on behind the scenes to ensure that we were in a position to act once the right opportunity became available.
“Sebastien is a player we have been watching closely for some time - he has always been a key target and someone who myself, [manager] Manuel Pellegrini and [co-owner] David Sullivan were very keen to bring to the football club.
“He is a player with excellent pedigree and experience in three of Europe’s top leagues. His record at Eintracht Frankfurt in recent seasons has been up there with the top strikers in the Bundesliga, and we believe that his physical and technical qualities will be well suited to the Premier League.”
Haller is understood not to have a release clause in his contract, despite his camp trying to push for one.
His signing tops the £42m that West Ham spent to get Brazil forward Felipe Anderson from Italy's Lazio last summer.
Haller said: “It means a lot. It proves that the club has really wanted me for a long time. I felt this desire to sign me and I’m really happy to sign. It is an ambitious club, a nice club, a nice city and nice fans too.
“I can guarantee that I will give 100% for the club because the club has given me this confidence and I will try to give it back every day in every game.
“I will always give 100% and respect the club. I think this is a normal thing and that I can guarantee. I know it’s a big transfer and there is a lot of expectation around me, and I just want to make people proud of this transfer and I will give everything I have.”
