West Ham have signed Colombian International Carloz Sanchez on a two-year deal from Fiorentina.
The defensive midfielder is a direct replacement for Senegalese Cheickou Kouyate who has joined Crystal Palace.
I’m very happy to be here. I’m very excited and looking forward to achieving lots. I decided to come here because, first, it is the Premier League, second, it’s a beautiful club and the fans are always helping the club and, third, for me it’s an amazing opportunity and an amazing project the club are leading, being ambitious and keen to achieve good things. I’d like to thank all of the people, the whole club, for having me.” Sanchez is quoted by the club’s official portal.
“I always dreamed of playing in the Premier League,” he confirmed. “Previously, at Aston Villa, we started very well but sadly it didn’t end well, but I always maintained the same desire to return and here I am, with the same mission, with the same desire and dream and I’m very grateful to everyone at West Ham.” He added.
West Ham Director of Football Mario Husillos has welcomed the midfielder’s arrival, saying: “Carlos is a very experienced player whose career I have always followed closely and with admiration.
“He made a great impression for Elche in Spain when I was Sporting Director with Malaga, and came back to Spain last season on loan with Espanyol – plus of course he already has experience of England and the Premier League from his time with Aston Villa. He has also been a regular in the first team for Colombia for many years, and was a very important player for them at the World Cup this summer,”
“He has great quality as a holding midfielder. He can also cover other positions but it is as a defensive midfielder that he really excels. He is also a fantastic professional, with great character, who will be a very good personality within the dressing room. I have known the Colombia national team coach, Jose Pekerman, for many, many years, and he has always spoken very highly of Carlos. We are very happy that he has joined West Ham United and wish him great success in his time here.” He concluded.
Sanchez, who has been capped 88 times by Colombia, becomes the team’s ninth season in the just concluded transfer window.
On 16 August 2013, Sánchez signed a three-year deal with Spanish side Elche, freshly promoted to La Liga for a €3.7 million fee. He made his debut on 24 August, starting in a 1–1 home draw against Real Sociedad.
On 15 August 2014, Aston Villa announced the signing of Sánchez on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee reported to be around £4.7 million. His first Villa appearance came eight days later when he replaced Charles N’Zogbia as a substitute in the 62nd minute of a goalless draw with Newcastle United at Villa Park. He made his first start for the club in their 0–3 home defeat against Arsenal on 20 September, after illness had ruled out some of his teammates. On 11 April 2015, he was sent off for two yellow cards as the team won 1–0 away to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, causing him to miss their victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final eight days late Sánchez scored his first goal for Villa on 25 April, an 85th-minute deflected volleyed equaliser away to title holders Manchester City, but Fernandinho later netted a winner for City. He made a 19-minute substitute appearance in the 2015 FA Cup Final on 30 May at Wembley Stadium in place of Ashley Westwood, in an eventual 0–4 loss to Arsenal.
On 10 August 2016, after Villa’s relegation, Sánchez was loaned to Serie A club Fiorentina for a season. He made his debut ten days later as a 65th-minute substitute for Milan Badelj in a 2–1 loss away to reigning champions Juventus on the first day of the season.[19] Eight days later, he made his first start in a 1–0 home win over Chievo, in which he scored the goal. The move was made permanent at the end of the campaign.
On 31 January 2018, Sánchez returned to La Liga on loan to RCD Espanyol for the remainder of the season.He made his debut four days later in a 1–1 home draw with FC Barcelona in the Derbi barceloní, playing the final four minutes in place of Léo Baptistão.