West Ham agree to sign Romanian defender

West Ham united have agreed to sign Romanian captain Razvan Rat from Ukranian giants Shakthar Donetsk. The defender was available on free transfer as his contract is set to end on July 1st. The 31-year-old has won 88 caps for his country. He has been signed for an initial one-year deal and West Ham have an option to extend it by one or two years. In his ten-year stay at the Donbass Arena, he won 7 league titles, a UEFA Cup in 2009, and made over 50 Champions league appearances.

“I’m hugely happy that we’ve got a player of his experience and his character,” West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said on his new signing. “Shakhtar had offered him a very good contract, but his ambition was to come and try his abilities and skills in England. He speaks perfect English, which he taught himself, and that shows the discipline and the character of the man. Discipline, character and ability are the three big things in the Premier League,” he added.

Allardyce was looking to strengthen the left back position, which proved to be a huge problem for him this season. He signed George McCartney last summer, but McCartney has been injured for the majority of the season, leaving Joey O’Brien standing in for much of the campaign. Though O’Brien’s performances have been impressive, lack of depth in the left back position has hurt the team. The team was forced to recall youngster Danny Potts from his loan spell at Colchester United as back-up for O’Brien.

West Ham signed left-back Emanuel Pogatetz in January, on loan from German side Wolfsburg. The former Middlesbrough captain made just a handful of appearances and the London club have now decided not to extend his loan spell. “We’ve already said to Pogatetz thanks very much, he’s been a fantastic professional but it won’t be extended, and we’ll decide on the others after the game,” Allardyce said ahead of West Ham’s final Premier League match at home to Reading.

Source: BBC Sport