West Ham United have completed the signing of left-back Emerson Palmieri from Chelsea on a four-year contract until June 2026.
The Hammers are set to pay an initial £13m for the 28-year-old Italy international, with a further £2m in add-ons.
Emerson, who will wear the No.33 shirt at the London Stadium, becomes David Moyes's seventh signing of the summer window following the arrivals of Nayef Aguerd, Alphonse Areola, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet and Thilo Kehrer.
Speaking to West Ham's official website on his arrival at the club, Emerson said: "I'm very happy to be here and to arrive here. It's a big challenge for me, it's a big team, so I'm very happy to be here and I'm ready.
West London ➡️ East London
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 23, 2022
Welcome, @emersonpalmieri! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JUQfxah2fB
"Personally, since the first day I arrived here in England, I always saw the big clubs and I always watched the big games and I knew the history about West Ham.
"The history is so, so big for this team and so when I knew about the interest for sure I said 'Yes, let's go, I want to go there' and I'm here now! I can't wait to get started in a West Ham shirt."
Moyes added: "We are very pleased to welcome Emerson to West Ham United. He is an experienced player with a good pedigree, who has enjoyed great success at both club and international level in recent years.
"He will give us strong competition in defensive areas and brings a winning mentality that we are looking to build here at West Ham. We look forward to working with Emerson and wish him all the very best in his career with us."
Summer signing number seven. 😍 pic.twitter.com/Y2SG5XepYB
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 23, 2022
Emerson fell down the pecking order at Chelsea and started only eight times in the 2020-21 campaign, before joining Lyon on loan last season.
The 27-cap Italy international made 36 appearances in all competitions for the French outfit, including starts in both legs of the Europa League quarter-final tie against West Ham.
Emerson, who can play as either a left-back or left wing-back, will now provide competition for 32-year-old Aaron Cresswell, and he could make his West Ham debut in Saturday's Premier League encounter away at Aston Villa.
West Ham remain active in the transfer market and they are understood to have tabled an improved bid of €11m (£9.3m) plus add-ons for Club Brugge midfielder Hans Vanaken, who has publicly expressed his desire to move to the London Stadium.
Oliver Thomas
