New Ivory Coast international Sebastian Haller has completed his record-breaking move to Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam.
Ajax have paid €22.5 million (£20m/$28m) to Haller’s former English club, West Ham United where he spent one-and-a-half years.
The towering centre forward has become Ajax’s most expensive ever signing.
Haller had joined West Ham in a club-record fee of £35m ($48m) in July 2019 from German club Eintracht Frankfurt, but he struggled to establish himself in England.
This means Hammers have taken a £15m ($20m) loss on a player, who netted just 14 goals from 50 appearances in all competitions for the London-based side.
Ajax released the following statement:
“Ajax, West Ham United and Sébastien Haller have reached an agreement for the transfer of the French-Ivorian player,” a club statement read.
“The striker signed a contract that is effective immediately with a duration of four and a half seasons, through June 20, 2025. Ajax pays a transfer fee of 22,5 million euro to West Ham United.”
Haller is familiar with the Dutch Eredivisie having spent two-and-a-half years with Utrecht between January 2015 and June 2017 – scoring 51 goals from 98 games across all competitions.
The 26-year-old is a former France youth international, having represented the European nation at every youth level having been born in Ris-Orangis, Essonne to a French father and an Ivorian mother.
In November 2020, Haller was called up to the Ivory Coast national team and he debuted for the Elephants in a 2-1 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification win over Madagascar on November 12.
He scored Ivory Coast’s game-winning goal in the 55th minute.