WHUFC.com
West Ham United have secured Senegal centre-back Abdoulaye Faye on a free
transfer
14.06.2011
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of Stoke City
centre-back Abdoulaye Faye on a free transfer. The experienced Senegal
international will join the Hammers after his contract expires at the
Britannia Stadium on 30 June. The club expect to be busy in the transfer
market as manager Sam Allardyce assembles a squad geared to win promotion
from the npower Championship at the first attempt. Faye is expected to be
the first of at least seven players the club hopes to sign this summer.
Supporters will hear about every new arrival first on the club's official
website - whufc.com - and Twitter feed here. The defender himself is
delighted to have joined the Hammers. He said: "I am very happy to be here
at West Ham - this is a great club, a big club and I cannot wait to get
started here. For me to come here was no problem, I had other clubs offers,
but I was happy to come here. "People may ask why as the team are in the
Championship, but I am excited at the challenge to help get the team back to
the Premier League, where I think the club belongs. The club also has a
great fan base and I am looking forward to playing for them and giving my
all on the pitch."
The first of those signings, Faye has enjoyed a successful career in English
football with Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United - where he worked under
Allardyce - before moving to Stoke in August 2008. He is looking forward to
working with his old boss again, adding: "Sam is a very good manager and I
am very pleased to be playing for him again - he gave me a chance here in
England and he is someone who gives you confidence. "He is also someone who
I know the players will respect and I think he will bring a lot to the club
- the fans will see this also. I can't wait now to get playing for the club,
for Sam and for the fans and do my best for everyone."
The defender made his name in French football with RC Lens and FC Istres
before being brought to Bolton - initially on loan - by Allardyce in July
2005. The 33-year-old spent two seasons at the Reebok Stadium, appearing in
the UEFA Cup and making more than 70 appearances for the Trotters. Twice,
Faye scored in Bolton victories over Arsenal as Allardyce's side finished
eighth and seventh in the Premier League table. When the manager moved to
Newcastle in the summer of 2007, he immediately moved for Faye, with the
powerful defender featuring 24 times during his single year at St James'
Park. Stoke splashed out £2.25m to snap up the 34-times capped international
in August 2008, and Faye repaid the Potters by being voted the club's Player
of the Season in his first year at the club. After an impressive 2009/10
campaign, Faye helped Stoke to reach the first FA Cup final in the club's
148-year history before leaving the Britannia Stadium at the expiration of
his contract this summer.
At international level, Faye has been a regular fixture for Senegal since
making his senior debut against Zimbabwe in January 2006. After helping his
country to fourth place at the 2006 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, he scored
against Angola at the 2008 tournament.
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