Highly-rated full-back Sam Byram has revealed Slaven Bilic's presence in the West Ham dug-out helped convince him to sign for the club.
The 22-year-old appeared to be set for a move to Everton earlier in the transfer window but completed a switch to Upton Park from Championship side Leeds earlier this afternoon.
The Hammers have enjoyed an impressive start to the season under Bilic, who has led his side to sixth place in the Premier League table after taking the reins last summer.
West Ham are just four points adrift of the Champions League places and Byram is adamant the chance to be part of the Croatian manager's ambitious project swayed his decision to join.
“I spoke to the manager and he is one of the main reasons which attracted me to West Ham," he told the club's official website.
"I think he's done unbelievably well with his team so far, so I'm really looking forward to working with him and his staff.
“I'm unbelievably proud and happy to join a Club as big as this.
“I'm just looking forward to what the future holds and hopefully I can achieve things with the team going forward."
The Essex-born defender has signed a four-and-a-half year deal and is also eager to sample the Olympic Stadium for himself, with the club set to move into their new home at the end of the season.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/sambyram93" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3161191-https://twitter.com/sambyram93" data-vars-event-id="c23">@sambyram93</a> is a <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WestHam?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3161191-https://twitter.com/hashtag/WestHam?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#WestHam</a> player! Full story at <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/t8krgbScpB" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3161191-https://t.co/t8krgbScpB" data-vars-event-id="c23">https://t.co/t8krgbScpB</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SamIsAHammer?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3161191-https://twitter.com/hashtag/SamIsAHammer?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#SamIsAHammer</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHUFC?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3161191-https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHUFC?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#WHUFC</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/Q5P20H4pSM" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3161191-https://t.co/Q5P20H4pSM" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/Q5P20H4pSM</a> — West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/whufc_official/status/689810194981883904" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3161191-https://twitter.com/whufc_official/status/689810194981883904" data-vars-event-id="c23">January 20, 2016</a>
“I'm also really looking forward to seeing the new stadium in person. That was another big part in me wanting to come here.
"It's a massive part of the future of the club and I can't wait to see and hopefully play in it.”
Although Byram grew up in Yorkshire he still has roots in London's east end and two members of his family are West Ham supporters.
“My uncle and my cousin are big West Ham fans and have bought their tickets for the new Stadium. My uncle was down here yesterday getting a shirt with my name on the back!
"It's nice to have them down here and they'll help me settle so I'm looking forward to seeing them."
