Fabian Balbuena tipped to become "very important player" for West Ham

West Ham's latest recruit Fabian Balbuena has been tipped to be a 'very important' star for years to come.

The Hammers made Balbuena, 26, their sixth summer signing after capturing the Paraguay defender from Brazilian outfit Corinithians.

And after the £4million defender put pen to paper on a three-year deal at the London Stadium, he was hailed as the 'perfect signing'.

"He is a player of great strength, character and personality," said West Ham's director of football, Mario Husillos.

"To be captain of Corinthians, one of the biggest clubs in South America, requires a very strong mentality, and he also has international experience with Paraguay.

"We believe he will improve our squad and our defensive qualities.

"He is the perfect age - a player for the present and the future - and he can be a very important player for many years at West Ham."

Balbuena has won seven caps for his country and started his career with Cerro Porten.

He played for Nacional and Libertad before joining Corinthians, with whom he won the 2017 Campeonato.

"I'm really excited for this new challenge and my target is to meet the demands of the Premier League," he told West Ham's official website.

"Obviously to be at West Ham is an extra motivation, and I want to do my best to help the team."

New Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini has been quick to bolster his squad this summer, signing Andriy Yarmolenko, Issa Diop, Ryan Fredericks, Lukasz Fabianksi and Jack Wilshere.

Felipe Anderson is expected to be announced as the seventh when he completes his £35m switch from Lazio.