West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of Mali international forward Modibo Maiga.
The 24-year-old has linked up with the Hammers from French side FC Sochaux-Montbeliard for an undisclosed fee, signing on a four-year contract with an option for a further two years.
Maiga, who can play as a centre forward or on the wing, has scored 24 league goals in the last two seasons to become one of the hottest properties in Ligue 1.
The player, who becomes West Ham's fifth summer arrival following Mohamed Diame, George McCartney, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Stephen Henderson, told whufc.com of his pleasure at completing his move to the Boleyn Ground.
"I am really happy and excited about joining West Ham United," said Maiga. "I know West Ham are a big club in England and I'm really looking forward to representing them. They have huge tradition and it is like joining part of a family and that is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here.
"I know some of the big names that have played for the club in the past and I am proud to be part of a new team back in the Premier League."
Born in the Malian capital Bamako, Maiga began his career with Stade Malien in his homeland at the age of 15 in 2003, but his undoubted talent and potential saw him snapped up by leading Moroccan club Raja Casablanca the following year.
After winning the Moroccan League and Arab Champions League, Maiga joined French Ligue 1 side Le Mans UC72 in 2007, where he played alongside Arsenal forward Gervinho and Sunderland attacking midfielder Stephane Sessegnon.
The African netted 15 goals in 88 league appearances for Le Mans before moving to Sochaux, where he quickly struck up a potent partnership with Nigerian Ideye Brown.
Maiga netted 16 goals in his first season with Les Lionceaux, helping the club to finish fifth in Ligue 1 and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
Last term, the forward scored nine times in 23 league appearances as Sochaux finished 14th, while he also made his debut in European competition.
At international level, Maiga featured regularly for Mali at age-group level, appearing against England in the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup Under-18 tournament in Egypt in 2003.
At senior level, he has scored five goals in 31 appearances and appeared at the 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. However, he contracted malaria while participating in the competition and was thus hospitalized and had to miss the 1-0 semi-final defeat by Cote d'Ivoire.
Maiga becomes the second Malian to represent West Ham, following fellow forward Frederic Kanoute. Now 34 and still playing in China, Kanoute scored 33 goals in 92 appearances for the Hammers between March 2000 and May 2003.
http://www.whufc.com/articles/20120718/hammers-move-for-maiga_2236884_2852790
