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It’s official: Scamacca signs

Gianluca Scamacca signs for West Ham UnitedWest Ham have formally announced the signing of the Italy international centre-forward Gianluca Scamacca.

The 23 year old former Sassuolo front man has agreed a five year deal with an option – usually of two years but not formally revealed – of five years. The fee amounts to £36 million plus £5 million in add ons.

The 6ft 5in forward is described as a player who can score all sorts of goals and found hit the net 16 last season appearing twice for Italy in the UEFA Nations League in June.

West Ham fought off interest from a host of top clubs to complete a deal for the Rome-born player, who has been capped seven times and is considered his country’s current and future No9.

It seems certain that he will become the No 1 with maybe Michael Antonio available to play the wing role when required or of course centrally when the occasion demands.

Scamacca becomes the fourth signing of the summer with Nayef Aguerd, Alphonse Areola and Flynn Downes having already reduced the Hammers average age level within the squad.

And he is clearly delighted to have joined a club which will be pushing for top six or even top four positioning after  finishing seventh last term.

Speaking to www.whufc.com the player said: “I can’t wait to play and show the supporters what I can do in the West Ham shirt – I hope we will love each other
“I am really excited to join West Ham. I’ve waited a long time for this moment – it’s been a dream to play in the Premier League.

“I feel like West Ham is the perfect team for me. They showed they really wanted me and when I spoke to the manager there was an instant understanding.

“I can’t wait to play and show the supporters what I can do in the West Ham shirt – I hope we will love each other.”

And manager Moues said@ “We’ve been looking to add more strength to our attacking options for a while, so we’re delighted to have got Gianluca in. He is a centre-forward with a really bright future ahead of him.”

Born in Rome on New Year’s Day 1999, Scamacca was with the Academies of both Lazio and Roma as a boy before moving to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven at 16 in 2015.

After 18 months in the Netherlands, during which he played three times for Jong PSV in the Dutch second tier, the striker moved home to Italy with Sassuolo. He was still just 18 when he debuted in Serie A away at Napoli in October 2017.

Loan spells with Serie B sides Cremonese and Ascoli and Dutch top-flight club PEC Zwolle followed, before he netted his first Serie A goal while on loan at Genoa in November 2020, and in a local derby with Sampdoria to boot.

After finishing the 2020/21 campaign with 12 goals, including four in the Italian Cup, Scamacca returned to Sassuolo in style last season. 

Forging a potent partnership with fellow Italian Domenico Berardi for Alessio Dionisi’s free-scoring side, Scamacca scored a career-high 16 Serie A goals and became a regular in Roberto Mancini’s Italy squad.

After making his debut in a FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Lithuania in September 2021, the forward has earned six further caps, including a start in Italy’s Nations League tie with England at Molineux in June.

All,of us at CandH to welcome Gianluca to London Stadium and wish him well for his career in Claret and Blue.

 

 

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

3 comments on “It’s official: Scamacca signs

  1. I’ve got a good feeling about the signing of Gianluca Scamacca and it’s not simply because we have finally signed a striker, target man and focal point for our team, but it just feels like the right fit for so many reasons.
    Apart from his abilities and technique, his personality attitude and desire stand out already at this early stage too. The whole squad is gonna love him, especially Antonio, as I can now see the two of them featuring together at times for West Ham and increasing our goal threat immeasurably.
    Many of our points dropped last season came as a result of us either not getting that crucial first goal or not being able to put teams to bed… I feel things look about to change going forward.

  2. As you are probably a where, I have been very critical of our lack of transfer dealings in the last two windows. Not buying a striker and one other in last January’s window cost us the serious opportunity of 4th place. Also waiting on He who shall not be named for two years was a serious mistake. But the signing of Scamacca is probably the best signing of a striker we could ever have hoped for. At only 23 he is an incredible striking talent. And already Italy’s number 9. And if true that this was a Rob Newman’s choice, even better. He proves the calibre of player were now looking at is a marked improvement. We just cant buy players to cover, already underperforming existing players. We need world class players that will be in the top 2 or 3 in their position in the Premier League, if we are going to truly compete for a top four finish.
    Now let’s go and get Amadou Onana. Again at only 20 this kid has it all. Can you imagine a team of three central midfielders of Onana, Rice and Soucek and a front three of Antonio, Scamacca and Bowen. With Fornals, Benrahma and Lanzini for rotation and impact subs.
    Let’s not forget we may well loose Rice next season. Getting in Onana now and bedding him in will be a great forward thinking plan. also with such top talent around him and on the back of a great season, Rice might decide to stay.
    Let’s hope we have now made the move to buying top class players that would get into all the top teams.

  3. Fantastic news and a big well done to Moyes and Newman. Can’t wait to see this geezer!!

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