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West Ham United are pleased to announce the signing of Algerian international Saïd Benrahma on loan from Brentford.
The exciting forward joins the EFL Championship club Hammers on an initial one-season loan deal, with an agreement to make the transfer permanent.
A unique talent capable of unlocking any defense and scoring spectacular goals, Benrahma excelled during two sensational seasons for the Bees, scoring 30 goals and assisting 27 more. Now the 25-year-old will have the opportunity to show his full range of skills in the Premier League, and he will do so in a Claret and Blue jersey.
I spoke with the manager so I know exactly what he expects of me. I will try to meet his expectations on the field because he has trusted me and I look forward to giving him back on the field.
Benrahma said
“I am very, very happy to be part of this team,” said the Club’s new number 9. “West Ham is a historic club, which has been in the Premier League for a long time. It included and still includes good players. It is a huge club in England.
“I spoke with the manager so I know exactly what he expects of me. I will try to meet his expectations on the field because he has trusted me and I look forward to giving him back on the field.
“I like this perspective [of playing in the Premier League]! I play soccer to have fun first and foremost, but it’s always nice to know that you join the most watched league in the world, so I’m definitely looking forward to showing what I can do. “
Coach David Moyes welcomed Benrahma to London Stadium and said he will bring something totally different to an already strong and versatile West Ham side.
“I am delighted to welcome Saïd to West Ham United,” he confirmed. “He is a player who has had a lot of recognition for his performances with Brentford in the Championship. There has been a lot of interest in him, so we are very happy that he decided to join us.
“We have been looking to bring hungry players determined to progress and improve. Saïd is an exciting talent, with a lot of skill and the right qualities, who will complement the rest of the attackers we have at the Club.
“We need to give Saïd some time to adjust, but I’m sure he can take a step into the Premier League. We are very happy to have him here and hope to get the best out of him. “
Benrahma will not be available for Sunday’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur as his registration was finalized after 12pm today.
Born in the town of Aïn Témouchent in northern Algeria, near the country’s Mediterranean Sea coast, Benrahma moved to southern France as a teenager and joined the Toulouse-based Balma SC, a club that the defender West Ham’s Issa Diop also represented when he was young.
After one season with renowned youth development club Balma and two with another Toulouse-area team, US Colomiers, the young winger attracted the attention of some of France’s biggest clubs, including Monaco, before opting for join OGC Nice, which had just finished fourth in the Ligue. 1, in the summer of 2013. It didn’t take long for the 18-year-old to make an impression, as he made his debut in a Ligue 1 match with Toulouse in October of the same year.
A senior first goal came in April 2015 in the form of a Ligue 1 winner against Reims, before Benrahma was loaned out to Angers SCO, GFC Ajaccio and LB Châteauroux to gain valuable first team experience. It was with Châteauroux in 2017/18 that he began to develop his great potential, scoring ten goals and assisting five more for the newly promoted Ligue 2 side.
Benrahma, who was discovered by French Brentford scout Brendan MacFarlane, moved to London in the summer of 2018, following the path traveled by Neal Maupay, who has since enjoyed the success of the Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Saïd is an exciting talent with a lot of skill and the right qualities, who will complement the rest of the attackers we have at the Club
David moyes
Benrahma was virtually unstoppable in the Bees jersey, scoring eleven goals, assisting 17 more and winning the club’s Goal of the Season award for an outstanding hit against Hull City in February 2019.
Last season, he was arguably even more influential, leading Brentford to the Championship Play-Off final with 17 goals and ten assists. He started the 2020/21 season with two strong goals in a Carabao Cup win over the conquerors of the Bees Play-Off final, Fulham.
Benrahma, a five-time international for Algeria, made his country’s debut against Senegal in 2015 and recently returned to international action, starting a 1-0 friendly win over Nigeria earlier this month and appearing as a substitute in a 2-2 draw with Mexico this week.
Everyone at West Ham United would like to welcome Saïd and his family to London Stadium and wish him every success in his career at Claret and Blue.
