Grant issued work permit

West Ham United are delighted to confirm that Avram Grant has been issued a work permit by the Home Office and is now free to take charge at the Boleyn Ground.

Grant will now be able to concentrate all his energies on preparing the Hammers for the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League season.

The new manager has already made his first summer signing with the capture of Germany international midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger on a free transfer - a move announced by Chairman David Sullivan on Saturday.

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Chairman David Gold expressed his pleasure that the new manager's arrival had been rubber-stamped.

"Avram is very charismatic, he has great humour and I believe that he will be, hopefully, one of the great managers that West Ham have had in years," said Mr Gold. "I am absolutely delighted with the choice. I feel we've chosen a very special man."

The vastly-experienced 55-year-old agreed a four-year contract with the club last week and joins shortly after leading Portsmouth to the FA Cup final.

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The Israeli, who also took Chelsea to the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final, has already spoken of his enthusiasm at taking on the "exciting challenge" of managing West Ham.

He will spend the next few months working alongside Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold to bring more high-profile signings to the club.

Grant will also finalise the makeup of his backroom staff and the club's pre-season schedule, which already includes the mouth-watering visit of Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 7 August and interesting trips to Peterborough United, MK Dons and Ipswich Town.