West Ham United sign Adrian from Real Betis

West Ham United have strengthened their options at goalkeeper by acquiring Adrian from Real Betis. The 26-year-old has joined the Hammers on a free transfer, signing a three-year deal with two further option years after a long career in Seville, the club announced on Wednesday.

During the 2012/13 season, Adrian unseated both Castro and Fabricio to become Betis' undisputed striker, and with his contract expiring suddenly caught the attention of a number of clubs around Europe. West Ham ended up the winners, and they almost certainly need the reinforcement -- Jussi Jaaskelainen is a fading force who struggled for much of last season, and sportswriters are biased against the Finn because his name is so hard to spell.

Expect Adrian to establish himself as Sam Allardyce's first-choice goalkeeper eventually, although he may have a rough introduction as he adjusts to the English game. On a free contract and with presumably limited wages, it's difficult to imagine the club doing better business on the goalkeeping front this summer.