Manuel Lanzini has completed his one-year loan move from Al Jazira to West Ham United, the UAE club confirmed late Tuesday.
The Argentine playmaker signed from River Plate only last summer, but was given permission to negotiate a temporary transfer to the Premier League side after a relatively disappointing debut campaign with Jazira.
Lanzini, who also holds an Italian passport, underwent a medical in London earlier this week. West Ham have an option to make permanent the deal should the move prove a success.
Last season, Lanzini scored eight goals in 24 Arabian Gulf League appearances to help Jazira finish second in the standings, although he was expected to make a greater impact at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
The arrival last month of Thiago Neves from Al Hilal therefore allowed Lanzini to seek another club, with the attacking midfielder considering offers from Sharjah and teams in Turkey. However, he always favoured a move to England.
Lanzini, 22, is the second foreign player to be replaced at Jazira this summer following Park Jong-woo’s recruitment in place of Jucilei, who departed for Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F. Mirko Vucinic and Jonathan Pitroipa have been retained, however the latter is allowed to leave. Al Nasr have made an offer for the Burkina Faso winger, but are not confident a deal can be struck.
Jazira prefer to sell to a club outside the UAE and will seek alternative suitors once they finalise the transfer of Jefferson Farfan from Schalke. The Peruvian winger, 30, is expected to agree personal terms on a three-year contract after the German side accepted Jazira’s bid, believed to be €10 million (40m).
“This is very emotional because it is one of the best teams I have ever signed for,” Lanzini told West Ham TV.
“This is a new challenge for me and that can only help in the future. It will test my ability in one of the best leagues in the world, so I am looking forward to getting started.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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