Emenike officially becomes a West Ham player after agreeing terms and passing medical

FORMER Super Eagles targetman Emmanuel Emenike has concluded his loan deal to English Premiership side West Ham after the Hammers and his club Fernebahce agreed on a £730,000 transfer fee until the end of the season.

 

Emenike, 28, currently owned by the Turkish side, spent the earlier part of the season on loan to United Arab Emirates clubside Al Ain. He has since been returned to his parent club after a rather lean spell and they have in turn loaned him out to West Ham who have the option of buying the striker at the end of the season.

 

Saying he is delighted to be given the opportunity to finally work with coach Slaven Bilic who he knows from Turkey, Emenike is looking forward to making his debut next weekend. Bilic coached Turkish side Besiktas, who were big rivals to Fernebahce, so he and Emenike know each other very well.

 

Emenike said: “I have always known West Ham as a great club and I have always watched them, so I am very, very happy and very, very excited that I am here. I’ve known Bilic for years as when he was at Lokomotiv Moscow, I was at Spartak Moscow, then he came to Besiktas and I was in Fenerbahce, so we have known each other for a long time.

 

"I’m happy to be here and happy to play for him. We have followed each other’s careers and thank God we are here today and we are here together.”

 

Under the terms of the deal agreed between the two clubs, West Ham will also have the option to sign Emenike on a permanent deal from Fenerbahce for £8.1m at the end of the season. Emenike, capped 37 times by the Super Eagles, retired from international football late last year.