West Ham have signed Paraguay international Fabian Balbuena on a three-year deal.
The Hammers announced the defender’s signing on Saturday, the Corinthians player moving to London for an undisclosed fee.
The seven-cap international started his career with Cerro Porteno and played for the likes of Nacional and Libertad before joining Corinthians, with whom he won the 2017 Campeonato.
“I’m really excited for this new challenge and my target is to meet the demands of the Premier League,” the 26-year-old said on West Ham’s website.
“Obviously to be at West Ham is an extra motivation, and I want to do my best to help the team.”
Director of football Mario Husillos believes the signing is a perfect one for the club.
“He is a player of great strength, character and personality. To be captain of Corinthians, one of the biggest clubs in South America, requires a very strong mentality, and he also has international experience with Paraguay,” he said.
“We believe he will improve our squad and our defensive qualities. He is the perfect age – a player for the present and the future – and he can be a very important player for many years at West Ham.”