New loan signing Lionel Scaloni admits he is excited about the prospect of Premiership football with the Hammers.
The Argentinian international is hoping to make his debut against Sunderland on Saturday after signing from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna just minutes before the January transfer window closed on Tuesday night, and has been handed the number two shirt as a direct replacement for Tomas Repka.
Despite not speaking a word of English, the 27-year-old right-back made a big impression on his new colleagues after arriving at the Chadwell Heath training ground on Thursday morning, and insisted that his former Primera Liga counterpart Yossi Benayoun acted as an interpreter so that he could introduce himself to Hammers fans via the official website!
"It is a dream for me to play in the Premiership and I am looking forward to my time at West Ham United," he said via the help of our Israeli playmaker.
"I often watched Premiership football in Spain and I know that West Ham United is an exciting team to watch, with many good players.
"Many of the West Ham players I have seen on television and I played against Teddy Sheringham in Champions League when he was at Manchester United."
Nicknamed 'El Toro' (The Bull) by Deportivo supporters, Lionel arrives at Upton Park with over 50 Champions League appearances under his belt and five international caps for Argentina, but it's clear that he isn't lacking in motivation.
"I read much about the club when Yossi left Spain in the summer to sign here," he said, "so I am aware that it is a big club I am playing for and I hope to be a success in England - I am not coming here just to do nothing.
"This is an exciting challenge for me and I want to show the West Ham United supporters that I can bring quality to the team."
And despite leaving the sunny climes of Spain to arrive in the midst of a bitterly cold English winter, Lionel hasn't been put off by the adverse weather conditions.
"It's not a problem," he said, "there isn't much sun in Coruna either, but of course it is much colder here! The weather doesn't matter to me, the most important thing is the football and I am ready for the Premiership."