Daily WHUFC News - New Signing

Hammers move for Maiga
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have completed the signing of Mali international forward
Modibo Maiga
18.07.2012

West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of Mali international
forward Modibo Maiga. The 24-year-old has linked up with the Hammers from
French side FC Sochaux-Montbeliard for an undisclosed fee, signing on a
four-year contract with an option for a further two years. Maiga, who can
play as a centre forward or on the wing, has scored 24 league goals in the
last two seasons to become one of the hottest properties in Ligue 1. The
player, who becomes West Ham's fifth summer arrival following Mohamed Diame,
George McCartney, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Stephen Henderson, told whufc.com
of his pleasure at completing his move to the Boleyn Ground. "I am really
happy and excited about joining West Ham United," said Maiga. "I know West
Ham are a big club in England and I'm really looking forward to representing
them. They have huge tradition and it is like joining part of a family and
that is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here. "I know some of the
big names that have played for the club in the past and I am proud to be
part of a new team back in the Premier League."

Born in the Malian capital Bamako, Maiga began his career with Stade Malien
in his homeland at the age of 15 in 2003, but his undoubted talent and
potential saw him snapped up by leading Moroccan club Raja Casablanca the
following year. After winning the Moroccan League and Arab Champions League,
Maiga joined French Ligue 1 side Le Mans UC72 in 2007, where he played
alongside Arsenal forward Gervinho and Sunderland attacking midfielder
Stephane Sessegnon. The African netted 15 goals in 88 league appearances for
Le Mans before moving to Sochaux, where he quickly struck up a potent
partnership with Nigerian Ideye Brown. Maiga netted 16 goals in his first
season with Les Lionceaux, helping the club to finish fifth in Ligue 1 and
qualify for the UEFA Europa League. Last term, the forward scored nine times
in 23 league appearances as Sochaux finished 14th, while he also made his
debut in European competition. At international level, Maiga featured
regularly for Mali at age-group level, appearing against England in the
UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup Under-18 tournament in Egypt in 2003. At senior level,
he has scored five goals in 31 appearances and appeared at the 2012 CAF
Africa Cup of Nations. However, he contracted malaria while participating in
the competition and was thus hospitalized and had to miss the 1-0 semi-final
defeat by Cote d'Ivoire. Maiga becomes the second Malian to represent West
Ham, following fellow forward Frederic Kanoute. Now 34 and still playing in
China, Kanoute scored 33 goals in 92 appearances for the Hammers between
March 2000 and May 2003.

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