Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Transfer news: West Ham confirm signing of former Manchester City midfielder Abdul Razak on short-term deal

Razak was most recently with Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala and joins the Hammers in a bid to keep them up

Thursday 30 January 2014 15:52 GMT

Abdul Razak has joined West Ham on a short-term deal (GETTY IMAGES)

West Ham have signed former Manchester City midfielder Abdul Razak on a short-term deal.

The 21-year-old Ivory Coast international came through the ranks at City after originally starting out at Crystal Palace but found first-team opportunities limited at the Etihad Stadium.

Razak has spent time on loan at Portsmouth, Brighton, Charlton and most recently Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala, who signed him on a permanent deal in October.

But now the midfielder will be looking to make a more lasting impression on the Barclays Premier League as he links up with the Hammers, who face Swansea on Saturday as they look to move out of the relegation zone.

Razak is manager Sam Allardyce's fourth signing of the January transfer window after loan deals for Wolves defender Roger Johnson and Italy internationals Antonio Nocerino and Marco Borriello.

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Show all 10

1/10This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Kenwyne Jones - Stoke City to Everton

Had Roberto Martinez seen something nobody else had? Otherwise it seemed difficult to understand why Everton, chasing a Champions League spot, would be after a striker who'd scored just four league goals in the past two-and-a-half seasons. Jones ended up at Cardiff.

Getty Images

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Gonzalo Higuain - Napoli to Chelsea

Plausible until thought about for more than a second. Firstly Higuain only moved to Napoli last summer in a £34.5m deal, so the Italians were very unlikely to sell him and if Chelsea wanted the player why hadn't they moved when he was available? Also a whopping 78% of Higuain's games under Mourinho at Madrid were sub-affected so it appears he's not completely trusted by the Portuguese.

GETTY IMAGES

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Kaspar Schmeichel - Leicester City to AC Milan

There can't be many to have made the move from Leicester to AC Milan, but Schmeichel somewhat unbelievably saw himself linked with a move to the San Siro. The Foxes might be top of the Championship table but surely this was a bit of a stretch.

Getty Images

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Tomas Rosicky - Arsenal to Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich have arguably the best midfield in world football, how could they improve it? By adding an ageing, injury hit player whose best days are behind him of course. Bizarre.

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Julio Cesar - QPR to Man City

He might be Brazil's nominated No.1 for the World Cup (fairly fortuitously) but Julio Cesar can't even make the QPR bench in the Championship at the moment. Surely Man City can do better than that?

GETTY IMAGES

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Winston Reid - West Ham to Arsenal

Winston Reid has been impressive for West Ham this season but is surely not of the calibre required by Arsenal.

Getty Images

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Mario Balotelli - AC Milan to Chelsea

Nobody is doubting Balotelli's ability, but he only arrived at AC Milan reasonably and to say that he and Jose Mourinho have had a difficult relationship in the past would be something of an understatement. A move to Chelsea seems very implausible.

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Joe Hart - Man City to Stoke City

Ok so Joe Hart didn't have the best start to the season but Stoke? Really? Surely even the self-styled Hartdog is better than that.

GETTY IMAGES

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Wayne Bridge - Reading to Sunderland

Fair enough, things haven't been going well for Sunderland recently but I think they're above signing a player who since a short loan spell at the club in 2012 has spent the last few seasons either playing golf or football at Brighton or Reading.

Getty

This year's strangest January transfer rumours - in pictures

Diego Forlan - Internacional to West Ham

Sam Allardyce may have past history of signing big international players in the last days of their careers but this time the Uruguayan hitman was not tempted by a switch to east London and all the jellied eels he could eat. Apparently he prefers his fish raw, opting instead to move to Japan.

GETTY IMAGES

PA

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies