West Ham signs Ivory Coast winger Maxwel Cornet
West Ham has signed Ivory Coast winger Maxwel Cornet from Burnley on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee after paying his £17.5m release clause.
The 25-year-old arrived at Turf Moor from Lyon last August for £12.85m.
He was Burnley’s top scorer last season with nine goals in 28 appearances as the Clarets were relegated from the Premier League.
Cornet spent seven and a half seasons at Lyon, playing 252 games and scoring 51 goals for the Ligue 1 club.
Cornet, who can play as a left-winger, wing-back or full-back, has a further ‘one-year option on his contract.’
“It’s a new step for me to join this big club and I’m really happy to be here, to be part of the project for the club. I’m just excited to start,” Cornet, who has scored six goals in 29 appearances for Ivory Coast stated.
He said; “Everyone knows the level here in the Premier League is very high and I want to play here for that, so I’m really happy to be here for the next stage in my career.”
Cornet becomes West Ham’s fifth signing of the summer after striker Gianluca Scamacca, defender Nayef Aguerd, midfielder Flynn Downes, and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.
Hammers boss David Moyes said; “He is a versatile player with good experience, both in the Premier League and in European football, and will add strength and quality to our squad.
“He made a big impact with his performances for Burnley last season and he has impressed me with his desire to improve and challenge himself further here at West Ham.”
Meanwhile, Moyes says he was “surprised” that midfielder Jesse Lingard chose to join Nottingham Forest instead of returning to West Ham.
Lingard, who scored nine goals in 16 Premier League games at the Hammers during a loan spell in the 2020-21 season, left Manchester United earlier this summer.
Moyes said; “I thought Jesse in the end would come here and I’ve got to say the club made him a really good offer.
“You couldn’t turn around and say David Sullivan and the owners didn’t do everything they could to get him. They certainly did.
“I’ve got to say the club have tried to get lots of players but for different reasons we’ve not been able to get them.”
BBC/Mercy Chukwudiebere
