Swiss international Valon Behrami is the latest recruit for West Ham United
ahead of the new campaign
23.07.2008
West Ham United have secured the signing of the highly regarded Switzerland
international Valon Behrami in a £5m deal from Serie A giants Lazio.
The versatile performer, who can play at right-back and across midfield, was
coveted by some of Europe's leading clubs but chose to switch to the Boleyn
Ground. He has already passed a medical and agreed a five-year contract. The
deal follows on from the club securing England striker Dean Ashton on a new
long-term contract, welcoming back players like Craig Bellamy and Kieron
Dyer from injury, and the arrival of promising Iceland Under-21 defender
Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson.
Speaking this morning, a delighted Behrami, who will wear the No21 shirt
next season, said: "I am very happy to last be able to sign for West Ham.
For me it is a dream come true to play for the club and in the Premier
League. I am very much looking forward to becoming part of the team here.
"After the European Championships, I spoke with West Ham who expressed their
interest in me coming here. It was important for me to talk with everyone
here and, when I did, I was very pleased to see what they wanted from me and
what the plans are now and in the future for the team. It was something that
enabled me to make my decision very quickly and now I can't wait to train
and play for West Ham."
West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said: "We are delighted to have signed
Valon. We beat off a lot of interest from other clubs to get him and we are
very pleased to now have him here at West Ham United. He is a player who
will be a valuable addition to the squad as we aim for a successful season
ahead."
"Valon's signing is also an indication of the club's positive ambitions and
shows that, contrary to some reports, we are firmly committed to
strengthening the playing staff. There will not be a mass exodus and fans
can be assured that we are working hard as always to ensure high-calibre
competition in all areas of the team."
The 23-year-old, who played all three games for his country at the Euro 2008
finals earlier this summer and now has 15 caps, has risen to prominence
since signing for Serie A giants Lazio in July 2005. A fans' favourite, he
played 64 league games for the Roman club, scoring four goals, and played
four times in last season's Champions League.
Behrami, who wore the No85 shirt for Lazio, previously played for Genoa and
Verona having moved across the border in 2003 from Lugano, a town in the
Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. The Kosovo-born player had also attracted
attention at international level for Switzerland, having been capped at
various youth levels.
For his country's senior side, he featured at the 2006 World Cup after
scoring a crucial goal in their qualifying success against Turkey. That then
set him up for the memorable experience of this summer's European
Championship on home soil where he again showed his promise to a global
audience. He is set to meet his new team-mates for the first time when they
return from the North American tour at the weekend.
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West Ham sign Lazio star Behrami - BBC
West Ham have signed Switzerland international Valon Behrami from Lazio in a
£5m deal. Behrami, 23, can play at right-back or on the right side of
midfield and has signed a five-year contract. He started all of
Switzerland's games at Euro 2008 and the Hammers had to beat off interest
from clubs in England and Germany to complete the deal. Behrami has 15 caps
and was a regular for Lazio, playing for the Rome side in last year's
Champions League. He said:"It's my dream come true to play for West Ham and
play in the Premier League. "At last I am able to sign. After the Euro 2008
Championships I spoke to West Ham who had expressed an interest but I had to
be sure it was the right thing for everybody. "I have now made my decision
and am looking forward to being part of this side and playing in the English
league."
West Ham's chief executive Scott Duxbury insists the signing of Behrami
shows that reports of the club struggling to find the finances to strengthen
the squad this season are nonsense. He said: "Valon is a player who will a
valuable addition to the squad as we aim for a successful season ahead. "His
signing also indicates the club's positive ambitions. Contrary to some
reports we are fully committed to strengthening the playing staff. "There
will not be a mass exodus and fans can be assured we are working as hard as
always to ensure high-calibre competition in all areas of the team."
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Behrami army - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 23rd July 2008
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have made their first major signing of the summer, landing Swiss
international Valon Behrami. The former Lazio star, who can play at full
back and in midfield (predominantly on the right-side) was confirmed as a
Hammer this lunchtime, several months after first being linked with a move
to East London. He joins United in a £5million switch from the Italian
outfit.
The 23-year old, who will wear the number 21 shirt next season told
whufc.com: "I am very happy to sign for West Ham. For me it is a dream come
true to play for the club and in the Premier League. I am very much looking
forward to becoming part of the team here. "After the European Championships
I spoke with West Ham who expressed their interest in me coming here. It was
important for me to talk with everyone here and, when I did, I was very
pleased to see what they wanted from me and what the plans are now and in
the future for the team. It was something that enabled me to make my
decision very quickly and now I can't wait to train and play for West Ham."
Hammers CEO Scott Duxbury also expressed his delight at the arrival of
Behrami, adding: "We beat off a lot of interest from other clubs to get him
and we are very pleased to now have him here at West Ham United. He is a
player who will be a valuable addition to the squad. "Valon's signing is
also an indication of the club's positive ambitions and shows that, contrary
to some reports, we are firmly committed to strengthening the playing staff.
"There will not be a mass exodus and fans can be assured that we are working
hard as always to ensure high-calibre competition in all areas of the team."
Behrami played against the Hammers in last summer's friendly between the two
teams in Lebring, Austria. He was a half-time substitute in a game won 2-0
by Lazio; the goals coming from Guglielmo Stendardo and Goran Pandev.
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Hammers seal Behrami capture - SSN
Switzerland international joins on five-year deal
By Lewis Rutledge Last updated: 23rd July 2008
West Ham have completed the signing of Valon Behrami on a five-year contract
from Lazio. The Switzerland international, who can play in midfield or
defence, has moved to Upton Park for a fee of £5million. The 23-year-old had
been linked with a number of top clubs from across the continent but the
Hammers have won the chase after tracking him for much of the summer.
Behrami is delighted to have joined and is now looking to make an impact in
the Premier League. "I am very happy to be able to sign for West Ham,"
Behrami told the club's official website. "For me it is a dream come true to
play for the club and in the Premier League. "I am very much looking forward
to becoming part of the team here." Behrami started all three of
Switzerland's matches at Euro 2008 and has made 15 appearances in total for
his country. He is West Ham's second summer signing following the arrival of
Iceland Under 21 defender Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson.
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10 Things… about new West Ham signing Valon Behrami
By Dan Silver, Mirror.co.uk 23/07/2008
Lazio star Valon Behrami has completed his £5million move to West Ham
United, signing a five year deal. Here's everything you need to know about
the man they call 'the Swiss David Beckham'…
1) Valon Behrami was born on 19 April 1985 in Mitrovica, Kosovo. However,
his Kosovan parents moved to Stabio – a small village in the
Italian-speaking part of Switzerland – when he was very young, which is how
he became a Swiss national.
2) He played for a number of Swiss sides as a youth – FC Stabio, FC Chiasso
and FC Lugano – before being jointly signed by Genoa and Udinese in 2003. A
year later Genoa bought out Udinese's stake and promptly loaned Behrami to
Serie B side Hellas Verona.
3) After impressing at Verona, Italian giants Lazio signed Behrami in 2005.
Operating both on the right wing and at full-back, he went on to make 64
appearances in Serie A, scoring four goals for the club.
4) All of which you can see on you tube
5) He will forever be feted in one half of Italy's capital for scoring
Lazio's winner in the Rome derby earlier this year - severely denting arch
rivals Roma's title hopes in the process.
6) It was lucky he did, because Behrami was comically responsible for Roma's
opener, when his attempted clearance cannoned off Taddei's head and into the
back of the Lazio net. Watch it at about 1:07 below:
7) He'd represented Switzerland at U-18 and U-19 before making his debut as
a last minute substitute against France during a World Cup qualifier in
October 2005. Behrami has scored two goals for his country, including a
crucial strike against Turkey in the 2006 World Cup qualifying play-off.
8) He's often been called the 'Swiss David Beckham' on account of his
flamboyantly fashionable hair-cuts, penchant for tattoos and the fact that
he dates Italian supermodel Elena Bonzanni.
9) And here's a link to a picture of the happy couple.They'll fit in well
tucking into some pre-match pie 'n' mash in Ken's Café on a Saturday
afternoon.
10) Despite being valued recently at £11m, it was rumoured that Behrami was
going to invoke the Webster Clause to buy out his contract in order to move
to Upton Park. But Hammers sporting director Gianluca Nani predicted Lazio
and West Ham would be able to work out a "solution that doesn't consider
Fifa article 17". They obviously got it sorted and Behrami will be pulling
on a West Ham shirt next season.
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West Ham swoop for Swiss international Behrami
Staff and agencies guardian.co.uk, Wednesday July 23, 2008
West Ham United have signed the Swiss international utility player Valon
Behrami from Lazio for £5m. Behrami, who can play at right-back or across
midfield, has agreed a five-year contract. He joined Lazio in 2005 and made
69 appearances for the Serie A club, scoring four goals, and represented
Switzerland at the 2006 World Cup and this summer's European Championship.
"I am very happy to at last be able to sign for West Ham," said Behrami, who
was born in Kosovo but moved to Switzerland as a child. "For me it is a
dream come true to play for the club and in the Premier League. I am very
much looking forward to becoming part of the team here.
"After the European Championships, I spoke with West Ham who expressed their
interest in me coming here. It was important for me to talk with everyone
here and, when I did, I was very pleased to see what they wanted from me and
what the plans are now and in the future for the team. It was something that
enabled me to make my decision very quickly and now I can't wait to train
and play for West Ham."
West Ham's chief executive, Scott Duxbury, said the club were delighted to
have secured 23-year-old Behrami. "We beat off a lot of interest from other
clubs to get him and we are very pleased to now have him here at West Ham
United," said Duxbury. "He is a player who will be a valuable addition to
the squad as we aim for a successful season ahead."
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Swiss star Behrami secures 'dream' move to Hammers - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 2:52 PM on 23rd July 2008
West Ham have completed the £5million signing of Switzerland international
Valon Behrami from Lazio. The 23-year-old can play at right-back or in
midfield and has signed a five-year deal with the Barclays Premier League
club after passing a medical. Behrami, who has 15 caps, played in all three
of his country's matches at Euro 2008 and was a regular for Lazio, playing
for the Rome side in last year's Champions League. Behrami told West Ham's
official website, www.whufc.co.uk: 'It's my dream come true to play for West
Ham and play in the Premier League. 'At last I am able to sign. After the
Euro 2008 Championships I spoke to West Ham who had expressed an interest
but I had to be sure it was the right thing for everybody. 'I have now made
my decision and am looking forward to being part of this side and playing in
the English league.'
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Hammers Bag 5m Behrami - The Sun
WEST HAM new boy Valon Behrami was won over by the club's plans for the
future. The Switzerland international has finally completed his £5million
move from Lazio after weeks of negotiations. And the right-back says he
cannot wait to get started with the Hammers. Behrami said: "After the
European Championships, I spoke with West Ham who expressed their interest
in me coming here. "It was important for me to talk with everyone here and,
when I did, I was very pleased to see what they wanted from me and what the
plans are now and in the future for the team. "It was something that enabled
me to make my decision very quickly and now I can't wait to train and play
for West Ham."
Behrami, 23, has signed a five-year deal at Upton Park after spending the
last three years in Italy. West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury hailed his
arrival and refuted claims of a mass exodus from the club. He said: "We are
delighted to have signed Valon. We beat off a lot of interest from other
clubs to get him and we are very pleased to now have him here. "He is a
player who will be a valuable addition to the squad as we aim for a
successful season ahead. "Valon's signing is also an indication of the
club's positive ambitions and shows that, contrary to some reports, we are
firmly committed to strengthening the playing staff. "There will not be a
mass exodus and fans can be assured that we are working hard as always to
ensure high-calibre competition in all areas of the team."
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West Ham United complete £5m Valon Behrami deal
Times Online and agencies
West Ham United have completed the £5 million signing of Valon Behrami from
Lazio. The 23-year-old Swiss international has signed a five-year contract
at Upton Park after passing a medical. Behrami, who has 15 caps, can play at
right back or in midfield and played in all three of his country's matches
at Euro 2008. "It's my dream come true to play for West Ham and play in the
Premier League," Behrami said. "At last I am able to sign. After the Euro
2008 Championships I spoke to West Ham who had expressed an interest but I
had to be sure it was the right thing for everybody. "I have now made my
decision and am looking forward to being part of this side and playing in
the English league."
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Hammers skipper Neil aiming for Europe - Guardian Series
3:09pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008
WEST HAM skipper Lucas Neill has revealed that the club will be aiming for
European football this campaign, writes Craig Rodhouse. The Hammers finished
tenth last term and Neill now believes that the Irons are ready to break
into the top five this season. "Last year we finished 10th without all our
supposed big names and I thought it was a superb effort considering all the
things that were going against us, and this year the only way is up.
Realistically, everyone, every year is challenging for fifth and we are no
different. We are going to start the sason with that objective and see how
it ends" Neill told the Newham recorder. And with the likes of Craig
Bellamy, Julien Faubert and Keiran Dyer all returning to full fitness, Neill
believes that the Hammers can become a real threat next campaign. "It is
fantastic to get them back and they are going to be very influential for us
this year. There are some big players with big reputations and without
disrespecting last year, they are players we missed. To have them fit and
available this time round will pose a real threat in the Premier league."
The 30-year-old had a disappointing campaign with the east Londoners, but
believes that with a full pre-season under his belt it will be a completely
different story next season "Last year, I didn't have a proper pre-season
and as a result I couldn't lay any proper fitness foundations" "Now I've had
three or four weeks training already and I feel great, so from me there will
be big improvements and like many people, I've still got lots to prove at
West Ham and I'm looking forward to doing just that"
And after a frustrating last season, Neill is hoping he can find his best
form with the Irons next term. Hopefully I can show the sort of form when I
first came, that's what I'm looking for."
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Andrew Johnson Bagged for £10.5M - Cmon Yu Irons
July 23, 2008
Everton accept a bid of £10.5m for Andrew Johnson and Fulham have beaten
West Ham to sign him. West Ham were rumoured to be in the chase to sign AJ
with Fulham, Wigan and Sunderland. Andy Johnson was not included in last
nights game against Preston North End and was not included in either the
starting line-up or among the substitutes, which fuelled rumours he was on
his way somewhere. Its not bad news for West Ham as the club are trying to
secure players that are not after high wage demands, and as a Hammers
supporter i have to admit, i am glad we missed out on this signing, if the
rumours were true.
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The Skinny On Behrami - Just Like My Dreams
Full name: Valon Behrami
Date of birth: April 19, 1985
Birthplace: Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia
Nationality: Swiss
2nd nationality: Albanian
EU passport: No
Height: 186 cms
Weight: 78 kgs
Position: Defender/Midfielder [R]
Squad Number: 85
Previous clubs: Stabio, Chiasso, Lugano, Genoa, Verona, Lazio
International debut: October 2005, v France
West Ham United have finally confirmed the signing of the highly regarded
Switzerland international Valon Behrami in a £5 million deal from Serie A
heavyweights Lazio. According to the official site the versatile performer,
who can operate at right-back and across midfield, has already passed a
medical and agreed a five-year contract.
Speaking this morning, a delighted Behrami, who will wear the No21 shirt
next season, said: "I am very happy at last to be able to sign for West Ham.
For me it is a dream come true to play for the club and in the Premier
League. I am very much looking forward to becoming part of the team here.
After the European Championships, I spoke with West Ham who expressed their
interest in me coming here. It was important for me to talk with everyone
here and, when I did, I was very pleased to see what they wanted from me and
what the plans are now and in the future for the team. It was something that
enabled me to make my decision very quickly and now I can't wait to train
and play for West Ham."
West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said: "We are delighted to have signed
Valon. We beat off a lot of interest from other clubs to get him and we are
very pleased to now have him here at West Ham United. He is a player who
will be a valuable addition to the squad as we aim for a successful season
ahead. Valon's signing is also an indication of the club's positive
ambitions and shows that, contrary to some reports, we are firmly committed
to strengthening the playing staff. There will not be a mass exodus and fans
can be assured that we are working hard as always to ensure high-calibre
competition in all areas of the team."
Valon Behrami was born April 19, 1985 in Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia. He came
to Switzerland in 1990 as a five-year old, with his father Ragip, his mother
Halime and his sister Valentina, aged eight. Prior to the move, the
political and economic situation in his home town in northern Kosovo had
deteriorated to the point where both parents had lost their jobs, the mother
as a secretary, the father as manager of the plastics company Koplast. To
offer their children a better future the Behramis finally left for
Switzerland, moving to Stabio, a village in the Italian-speaking part of the
country. For four long years, their asylum application had been repeatedly
rejected until the concerted action of the family's lawyer, the relevant
authorities and committees in Bellinzona and the family's entire scholastic
and professional environment in southern Ticino finally obtained residence
permits.
Looking back, Halime Behrami says: "As a child, running was Valon's
favourite pastime – he just never got tired. Even now, he can hardly sit
still for a second. He always needs a ball at his feet". As a youngster,
Behrami won four regional cross-country titles. Needing other ways to
channel his energy he started out playing football with Swiss club sides FC
Stabio and FC Chiasso before moving on to FC Lugano in 1996. He made his
first-team debut for the Challenge division side six years later and
impressed sufficiently during a handful of early appearances to entice
Italian sides Genoa and Udinese to enter into a joint ownership deal in the
2003–04 season. He played for Genoa in the Serie B championship and the
following season Genoa secured the full rights to the player and loaned him
out to Hellas Verona, again in Serie B.
After an impressive season with Hellas Verona, Lazio signed him in the
summer of 2005. He quickly found favour with the club's supporters; scoring
his first Serie A goal in February 2006 in a 2-1 win at Fiorentina. He
rapidly became regarded as one of the Rome-based clubs untouchable players,
but a succession of injury problems and contractual wranglings saw Behrami
linked with a move away from Stadio Olimpico- with Tottenham, Liverpool,
Manchester City, Sevilla Hamburg and Bayern Munich known to be among his
admirers. In March of this year he etched his name into Lazio folklore with
the 92nd minute winning goal against AS Roma in the 'Derby della Capitale';
a goal that effectively ended their rival's challenge for the Scudetto. Last
season was an injury troubled campaign which saw Behrami, like most his
teammates, struggling for form and fitness. The fact he also played often
out of position on the left side of midfield did little to help his cause.
Earlier in the year he did make his UEFA Champions League bow in a 2-2 draw
at home to Real Madrid.
Behrami was granted Swiss nationality in 2004. He played for U17s, U18s,
U19s and U21s before making his full international debut as a substitute in
Switzerland's World Cup qualifier at home to France in October 2005. One
month later, he scored his adopted country's second goal in their
2-0-playoff win at home to Turkey. During the 2006 World Cup, Behrami
suffered a groin injury which put him on the sidelines for the first two
group matches. In the third match against Korea Republic, he was substituted
late in the game and then did not participate in the loss to Ukraine in the
last 16 knockout round of matches. Over the next two years Behrami
established himself as a regular on the international scene and he was in
the starting eleven for Switzerland in all three matches during the recent
UEFA European Football Championship playing a total of 272 minutes.
Despite his regular inclusion, Behrami has developed the reputation of being
an outsider within the Swiss squad; something not helped by the language and
cultural barriers within the group. With his tattoos (he has a prominant one
on his right arm displaying the gothic letters RVHV which stands for Ragip,
Valentina, Halime and Valon), frequently-changing haircuts and high profile
romance with Italian model girlfriend Elena Bonzanni, Behrami has often been
dubbed "Switzerland's David Beckham". Behrami is set to meet his new
team-mates for the first time when they return from the North American tour
at the weekend.
Posted by Trilby
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