West Ham United has secured the services of left-back Ines Belloumou from Bayern Munich with a three-year contract.
The 23-year-old, who has represented France at the Under-23 level, will be loaned to the Italian club Lazio for the upcoming season to facilitate her visa application for playing in England.
Last season, Belloumou made nine appearances for Bayern in the Frauen-Bundesliga after enjoying a successful tenure at Montpellier in France.
“I am extremely proud to be joining West Ham United,” Belloumou stated on the club’s website.
“This marks a new chapter for me. After playing in France and Germany, I am excited about the opportunity to compete in England.
“Each league has its own distinct style, but for me, the Women’s Super League stands out as the top league, and I’m eager to embrace the challenges that lie ahead.”
This loan arrangement will assist Belloumou in gathering the requisite points to satisfy the Governing Body Endorsement criteria for international player visas.
She becomes Rehanne Skinner’s fourth addition of the summer, following the acquisitions of Kinga Szemik, Shekiera Martinez, and Camila Saez.
