Stewart Downing has officially signed for West Ham United on a four-year-contract for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be in the region of £6 Million.
Downing, 29, will wear the number 23 shirt and joins Andy Carroll and Joe Cole in making the move south from Liverpool.
It should be an easy integration with his new team for Downing, having already played with Carroll, Cole and James Collins back in his Aston Villa days, so he will have plenty of familiar faces to welcome him to West Ham United.
Downing began his career with Middlesbrough, making his debut as a 17-year-old for the club back in 2002.
He joined Aston Villa following Boro’s relegation from the Premier League in 2009 and was voted Villa’s Player of the Season for 2010-2011.
A £20 Million move to Kenny Daliglish’s Liverpool was his reward for his Aston Villa form, Liverpool never really saw the best of Downing even though he showed signs of recapturing his best form towards the end of last season.
However manager Brendan Rodgers decided Downing was surplus to requirements at Anfield and has lest the winger join West Ham for a quarter of what the reds originally paid for him.
Speaking to WHUFC.com Downing said:
I’m very excited. It’s a great opportunity for me being here, it’s a great club and I’m really excited to get going.
I’m ready and I’m fit for the first game against Cardiff City. I’ve played a decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so there will be no problems on that front.
It’s all happened quickly, but I’m really excited and hoping to play a part on Saturday.
Sam Allardyce and West Ham will be hoping Downing can recapture his Aston Villa form and provide top quality service into the box for Andy Carroll.
So do you think Downing is a good signing?
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