West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of Nigeria centre-forward Emmanuel Emenike on loan until the end of the season.



The 28-year-old arrives at the Boleyn Ground from Turkish club Fenerbahce, with the Hammers having the option to make the transfer permanent in the summer.



Capped 37 times, the powerfully-built striker has scored regularly throughout his career, netting more than 80 club goals, including seven this season during a loan spell at Arabian Gulf League side Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates.



The 6’0 striker came through a successful medical at Spire Roding Hospital on Friday and, after putting pen to paper at the Boleyn Ground, described his joy at the prospect of linking up with Slaven Bilic, a manager he has known for some time.



"I'm very, very happy and very, very excited that I'm here," Emenike told West Ham TV.



"I have always known West Ham as a great Club. I've always been watching them. West Ham's a great Club and I'm happy to be here.



"I've known him [Bilic] for years. When he was at Lokomotiv Moscow, I was at Spartak Moscow, then he came to Besiktas and I was in Fenerbahce, so we've known each other for a long time. I'm happy to be here and happy to play for him.



"We've followed each other's careers and thank God we are here today and we are here together."



Born in the town of Aguleri in south eastern Nigeria, Emenike began his career with Delta Force FC before moving to South African football with Mpumalanga Black Aces and FC Cape Town.



In 2009, at the age of 22, the forward moved to Turkish football with Second Division club Karabukspor, where his 16 goals helped his side to the title and promotion to the top flight.



After scoring on his Super Lig debut, Emenike ended his second season with Karabukspor with 14 league goals to his name – form that led to a reported €9m move Fenerbahce in May 2011.



However, Emenike was on the move again two months later, when he made a switch to Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow. In just over two seasons, he netted 24 goals in 51 games for Spartak before returning to Istanbul for a second spell with Fenerbahce in 2013.



That same year, the striker starred alongside Victor Moses as the Super Eagles of Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with four goals, as well as three assists, to his name.



The success continued in the 2013/14 season, when Emenike helped Fenerbahce win the Turkish Super Lig title – ahead of Slaven Bilic’s Besiktas in third place – and Super Cup.



After appearing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals for his country, the centre forward was loaned to Al-Ain in summer 2015, netting seven goals in just eleven appearances.