West Ham United Sign Luis Boa Morte From Fulham – The Cottagers Boss Chris Coleman Disappointed To Lose Captain

West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley has completed his first January signing with Fulham’s Portugual forward Luis Boa Morte accepting an offer believed to be in the region of £5million ($9.76 million) for a theee-and-a-half-year contract.

Last year’s FA Cup finalists Hammers, who are in the relegation zone in the Premiership, will straightaway rope in the 29-year-old player in the squad for Saturday's third round tie with Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Lisbon-born player, who has 25 international caps under his belt, successfully passed a medical and agreed personal terms at Upton Park on Thursday.

"West Ham is a massive club and I wouldn't have signed if I didn't think we could avoid relegation," Boa Morte told West Ham's web site (www.whufc.com).

"I definitely believe we can improve, and I am excited about the challenge that is ahead," added the winger.

The Cottagers boss Chris Coleman meanwhile expressed his resentment at losing his captain Boa Morte, who is yet to open his scoring account in the season.

“I am of course disappointed that Luis has decided his future is not with Fulham FC,” Coleman told the club's official website.

The Welsh tactician said that Fulham will invest in players who would be with the club for longer period of time.

“Having discussed this with the chairman and the managing director, we believe it is in the best interest of the club to invest in players who are prepared to commit their future to us.”

The ex-Arsenal man Boa Morte joined Fulham initially on loan from Southampton in 2000. Fulham then signed a permanent deal with him on August 14, 2001, for a fee of £ 1700000 .

“He has been a great servant to the club and we all wish him well,” said Coleman.

"However, I have always said that if a player is not happy playing for this club and expresses a desire to go, then I would be prepared to let him leave; and this was the case with Luis.”

Fulham had yesterday completed an on-loan signing of AS Roma’s 32-year-old striker Vincenzo Montella for the remainder of the season. And the Londoners are also keeping their fingers crossed that the American international defender Oguchi Onyewu will sign.

“We will continue to add strength and depth this window and, if necessary, the next to ensure that we have a strong enough squad of players for the future to enable us to push on as a club, which remains our ambition,” Coleman added.