Luis Jimenez joins West Ham United from Inter Milan

London based Premier League club West Ham United have announced the signing of Chilean forward Luis Jimenez from Serie A Champions Inter Milan.

The 25 year-old player, who won the Chile player of the year award in 2006, is on a season long loan with a possible summer transfer next season.

Due to work permit issues, Hammer’s CEO Scott Duxbury led a successful Hammers delegation including manager Gianfranco Zola to the FA earlier this month to ensure Jimenez was allowed to play for the club.

Nicknamed ‘El Mago’ – the wizard, Jimenez had joined Inter Milan on loan for 2007-08 season from Ternana and after an impressing first campaign, which led to Inter winning the Scudetto, he signed a permanent deal with the club.

Speaking to the club’s official site, Jimenez said: “I am very happy, very excited and very determined to show what I can do. I am a player who loves to play football, to be in a team that keeps the ball, to create opportunities and also score goals. I can’t promise anything but I am going to do everything possible to do a good job for the club.”

“I know West Ham are a fantastic club who have had a lot of great players. I had options to join other clubs but I watched West Ham’s last game of the season and I liked it a lot. I preferred this option because I really admire the way they try to play. Gianfranco Zola was one of the things that drew me to West Ham – I can identify with the type of football he wants to play.”