CHEIKHOU KOUYATE
Born: 21 December 1989, Dakar, Senegal
Former clubs: FC Brussels, Anderlecht, Kortrijk (loan)
Senegalese midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate joined the Hammers for an undisclosed fee in June 2014, putting pen to paper on a four-year deal.
Born in Dakar, Senegal, Kouyate moved to Europe at the age of 15 when FC Brussels took him into their Academy, before e subsequently enjoyed a hugely-successful six-year spell at Anderlecht.
A regular in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League for Anderlecht, Kouyate will now bring his skills to the Barclays Premier League..
2014/15
Joined West Ham United on a four-year contract in June 2014...Made his debut in the opening day defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on 16 August 2014....Won the whufc.com Player of the Month award for August...Suffered a groin injury in the 3-1 win over Liverpool on 20 September 2014.
Before West Ham
Kouyate came to Europe with FC Brussels and the 6'4 central midfielder's breakthrough came in the 2007/08 campaign when he made ten first team appearances in the Belgian top flight...He earned a move to Anderlecht in the summer of 2008, quickly becoming a mainstay in the starting line-up. A first Belgian title arrived in the 2009/10 season, and he added to his medal collection as Anderlecht claimed the crown for the last three campaigns...In Europe, Kouyate played a full role as Anderlecht reached the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League in 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12, and the group phase of the UEFA Champions League for the last two seasons.
International Career
Kouyate is a teammate of Senegal captain Mo Diame. He has been capped eleven times and represented his country at the 2012 London Olympic Games
Has gained eleven caps for his country and turned out at the 2012 London Olympic Games.