West Ham United are pleased to confirm the signing of Denmark defender Lars Jacobsen at the end of a transfer window that notably saw the club's leading names remain at the Boleyn Ground.
The permanent transfer of Jacobsen from Blackburn Rovers was given Premier League and Football Association ratification on Wednesday afternoon after going through initially on Tuesday. Belgian goalkeeper Ruud Boffin has also arrived, bringing to an end an extremely productive summer for the club that has seen eight new signings arrive.
Jacobsen will link up with his new team-mates - including Scott Parker and Carlton Cole who are pivotal to the club's ambitions this season - after representing the Danes in the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against Iceland next Tuesday in Copenhagen. He played every minute of his country's three matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The 22-year-old Boffin moves to England from Dutch side MVV Maastricht on a two-year contract, after a successful trial at Chadwell Heath. He will provide extra competition for Robert Green, who also remains a valuable part of Avram Grant's new-look squad.
West Ham United chairman David Sullivan said: "We have combined youth with experience this window and are pleased with the work we have done, even in these challenging times for the club. We were determined to keep Scott Parker, as well as Avram's other key players, and were able to deliver on what we promised.
"Half of our eight signings are 23 or under and we are confident they can become major players for the club, while the other four have a wealth of international experience. Thomas Hitzlsperger had a particularly impressive pre-season and we look forward to seeing him play a major role once he returns to fitness."
The new duo join the six other internationals to have arrived in east London in the past two months, namely Hitzlsperger, Tal Ben Haim, Winston Reid, Pablo Barrera, Frederic Piquionne and Victor Obinna.
Central midfielder Hitzlsperger, who captained Germany last month, and forward Obinna, newly signed from UEFA Champions League holders Internazionale, are both yet to make their debuts, with the club next in action at home to Chelsea on Saturday week.
The 30-year-old Jacobsen, who has a one-year contract, first arrived in English football in summer 2008 when signing for Everton and won an FA Cup runners-up medal at the end of the campaign. He then moved on to Blackburn, where he played 15 times in all competitions last season.
Jacobsen, who has also played for Bundesliga clubs Hamburger SV and 1 FC Nurnberg during his career, made his name with FC Kobenhavn, winning the title three times. First choice for Denmark, he has been capped 36 times.
He becomes the second Dane to play for West Ham after Marc Rieper, who played 101 times for the club, scoring five goals, between 1994 and 1997.