Gianfranco Zola is looking forward to seeing Luis Jimenez in a West Ham United shirt after the club secured the services of the Internazionale forward for next season.
The manager is in Italy on holiday but in welcoming his new recruit admitted his thoughts have not been too far away from the Boleyn Ground and his squad for the 2009/10 season. "I am pleased that it is now official and Luis Jimenez is with us," he told whufc.com. "A lot of hard work has gone into the transfer and I am pleased the club have been able to make it happen. It is very good for everyone.
"He is one of those players that has got the qualities that West Ham supporters like and I think he will fit very well into our team. I am sure he will settle well into the Premier League and we will do our best to welcome him and make him feel at home.
"We have a couple of weeks before we start pre-season but I am very excited about coming back. I have been getting a rest in the meantime with my family and everyone is very happy - I am doing phone calls in between each swim. We have all been resting and recovering and I have no doubt we will all be recharged and ready to start the new season."
The manager played no small part in getting the Chilean international to the club, and was impressed by the enthusiasm by Jimenez shown during transfer discussions. "I have spoken to him about what we are trying to do and he was very enthusiastic and excited about coming to us. That was good to hear because you can tell he just wants to play and do well for West Ham.
"I am sure he will be a success. He is a quality player and quality players always do well, especially with the way we try to play football. It should prove a good move for everyone."
Zola also had words of praise for CEO Scott Duxbury who travelled with technical director Gianluca Nani to Milan to broker the deal and have already moved on to the other transfer targets he has identified. "I have to say Scott is doing a very good job for us and is trying to support me as much as possible. He went to Milan with Gianluca and they are both very much connected to our idea.
"The teamwork between the three of us is coming together very well and it is very good to have people like that behind you. They have the same idea of football as me and it is really positive for West Ham."