West Ham United have confirmed their first signing this summer after announcing Borussia Monchengladbach defensive midfielder Havard Nordveit will join the club on 1st July 2016 following his free transfer.
The 25-year-old has signed a five-year deal with the club following his five and a half years in the Bundesliga, where he made 171 appearances.
.@NFF_info star Havard Nordtveit will join West Ham on 1 July 2016 ?? https://t.co/d30iVCc8Vj #HavardIsAHammer pic.twitter.com/ktiDF6uRL8
Before the Norway international's successful period in the Bundesliga, he was an Arsenal player for three years after Arsene Wenger signed the midfielder for an initial £500,000 but the move proved to be unsuccessful despite Wenger's reluctance to sell him at the time.
He eventually moved in 2010 and has enjoyed great success; becoming a key player with the likes of Switzerland international Granit Xhaka and Patrick Herrmann.
The signing marks Slaven Bilic's first foray into the transfer market this summer but the deal was already made in March but the Hammers delayed the announcement until the end of the Premier League season, something Nordveit himself suggested in a statement to the club website in March.
He said: "I'd like to leave it to my new team to announce, which we've agreed with regards to the current situation.
"I can say, however, that I'm going back to England. I was there as a youngster, playing for Arsenal when I was 17, but I never made an appearance in the Premier League.
"England is the big goal for every footballer in Norway and I'd like to try it out."
It is widely expected to be a busy summer for the Hammers in the transfer market as they look to improve on their sixth-placed finish this season. But West Ham will need a favour from Manchester United on Saturday if they are to confirm European football for their first season in the Olympic Stadium.
The Red Devils must beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday to ensure Europa League football as due to Premier League and UEFA stipulations, sixth spot as well as fifth, will go into the Europa League.