Alvaro Arbeloa joins West Ham United on free transfer

West Ham United have signed former Liverpool and Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa on a free transfer.

The 33-year-old left-back was a free agent after being released by European champions Real Madrid earlier in the summer and has agreed a one-year deal at the London Stadium.

“I am really happy to be here in a great club in a great league,” Arbeloa told West Ham TV.

“I’m really happy to be back in England and, for me, it’s a great chance and I’m looking forward to playing with this side.

“The stadium is amazing. It’s really nice and looks fantastic. Hopefully I’m going to see the stadium full with all our fans and I’m really happy to be here.

“For me, this is a great chance to be back in England and in the Premier League, which is a fantastic league and I want to put myself here again. This is a big club and a great club with fantastic players and a great coach.”

He said he had spoken to former Madrid teammates Luka Modric and Matteo Kovacic, who worked with West Ham boss Slaven Bilic when he was in charge of Croatia, before making the move.

“Slaven wants to see me training as soon as possible,” he said. “I was talking with Luka Modric and Matteo Kovacic and they told me good things about the coach, so I want to work with him and hopefully I can learn a lot of things.”

The ex-Spain international left Real to sign for Liverpool in 2007 but moved back to the Bernabeu in 2009.

The Hammers have been scouring the transfer market in search of a right-back and had considered a move for Aston Villa’s Micah Richards before opting to go for Arbeloa.