West Ham have announced the signing of Felipe Anderson from Lazio, with the deal expected to cost them £33.5 million ($44m).
The attacking midfielder has signed a four-year deal with the Premier League club after spending five seasons in Serie A, where he scored 25 goals and set up 28 in 137 league appearances.
The move sees the Hammers complete their sixth signing of the close-season and break their transfer record for the second time this summer, having already signed Issa Diop from Toulouse for £21.9 million ($29m).
“I feel really happy and fulfilled to join West Ham United,” Anderson told the London side’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 Di Canio.
“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.”
Anderson was a target highlighted by new coach Manuel Pellegrini, and joint-chairman David Sullivan feels his arrival shows the club is ambitious after last season’s 13th place finish.
“Felipe was a main target of the manager so we are delighted we’ve been able to bring him to the club.
“We’re very pleased with the business we’ve done so far and I hope the supporters are just as excited as we are about the squad we are building here at West Ham.
“The deal sees us significantly break our transfer record and we feel it’s a real statement of intent.”
Director of football Mario Husillos expressed his delight at signing the ex-Santos man, who has one cap for Brazil so far.
“We are very happy and pleased to welcome Felipe to West Ham United,” he said.
“We believe that we have signed one of the most exciting talents in European football. Felipe has shown a fantastic level of performance at Lazio in recent seasons and we believe that he will now bring that quality to the Premier League. He is also a player very suited to the style of Manuel Pellegrini.
“For West Ham United this is a very big statement, a club record, so we must thank the owners for their support and work in making this transfer possible.
“It is a negotiation that has taken some time but it is a very good sign that Felipe was determined to become a West Ham player, and we feel very confident that he will become a big success at London Stadium.”
West Ham have already landed Andriy Yarmolenko from Borussia Dortmund for £17.5m ($23m), as well as Ryan Fredericks, Lukasz Fabianski and Jack Wilshere as they prepare for Pellegrini’s first season in charge.