LONDON // West Ham United have signed the Mexico striker Guillermo Franco, the Premier League club have confirmed. No contract details were given on West Ham's official website, but Franco, 32, who had been without a club, was delighted to get the opportunity of first-team football in the lead-up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. "This is a very important stage in my career and I hope to score lots of goals for the club this season and then play at the World Cup," the former Villarreal, San Lorenzo and Monterrey player said.
A member of Mexico's 2006 World Cup squad in Germany, Franco was called up by national coach Javier Aguirre for this month's 2010 qualifiers and scored in the 3-0 win at Costa Rica. He could be in line to make his debut for the Hammers in the weekend game against Liverpool. * Reuters
