New West Ham signing Valon Behrami has won 15 caps for Switzerland. Photograph: Ruben Sprich/Reuters

West Ham United have signed the Swiss international utility player Valon Behrami from Lazio for £5m. Behrami, who can play at right-back or across midfield, has agreed a five-year contract. He joined Lazio in 2005 and made 69 appearances for the Serie A club, scoring four goals, and represented Switzerland at the 2006 World Cup and this summer’s European Championship.

“I am very happy to at last be able to sign for West Ham,” said Behrami, who was born in Kosovo but moved to Switzerland as a child. “For me it is a dream come true to play for the club and in the Premier League. I am very much looking forward to becoming part of the team here.

“After the European Championships, I spoke with West Ham who expressed their interest in me coming here. It was important for me to talk with everyone here and, when I did, I was very pleased to see what they wanted from me and what the plans are now and in the future for the team. It was something that enabled me to make my decision very quickly and now I can’t wait to train and play for West Ham.”

West Ham’s chief executive, Scott Duxbury, said the club were delighted to have secured 23-year-old Behrami. “We beat off a lot of interest from other clubs to get him and we are very pleased to now have him here at West Ham United,” said Duxbury. “He is a player who will be a valuable addition to the squad as we aim for a successful season ahead.”

About this articleCloseThis article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Wednesday July 23 2008. It was last updated at 14:52 on July 23 2008.

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