West Ham United have signed vastly-experienced goalkeeper Manuel Almunia on an initial one-month emergency loan from Arsenal.

Manager Sam Allardyce moved quickly to secure the services of the Spanish stopper after learning that Robert Green faces around six weeks out with a knee cartilage injury.

The 34-year-old joined up with his new team-mates on Friday ahead of this weekend’s npower Championship visit to Crystal Palace. He will wear the No13 shirt.

Big Sam welcomed the goalkeeper to the club, telling West Ham TV: “We’ve been hot on the phone and secured an excellent signing in the short-term in Manuel Almunia from Arsenal.

“It’s a big ‘Thank you’ again to Arsene Wenger and Arsenal for allowing us to get such a high-class and experienced goalkeeper to come in and fill-in for Robert for the time being.

“I think he hasn’t had as many games at Arsenal as he would have liked so he wants to play first-team football at the end of the day.

“We hope that huge amount of experience he has had at Arsenal and the football he has played on a regular basis will stand us in good stead here at West Ham and more and more clean sheets will come from his presence in goal. That will obviously help us to secure more victories while Robert is out.”

Almunia, who becomes the second player to join the club on loan from the Gunners this season after England Under-21 midfielder Henri Lansbury.

Good news really, Almunia may not be the best keeper but in The Championship he will do a fantastic job for us until Greenie is back. Thanks again to Arsenal for doing us a favour with a good player on loan.