Nani appointed West Ham technical director

West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley has appointed Gianluca Nani to help him in the transfer market.

The Italian has signed a three-year deal but insists he will not prevent English players finding places in the club's first team.

Nani said: "We are in a global market. We will try to find the best foreign players but that doesn't mean we will break what is the best academy in England, maybe in the world.

"We must improve the English players too because the fans like to recognise a player. We have to keep the tradition of bringing through English players.

"We have to follow this tradition but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to sign players like Kaka or Adriano when they are young."

Curbishley was involved in recruiting Nani and the manager does not feel his position is threatened by the appointment.

He said: "I need to have my eyes opened. I need more information. At the moment we are limited in our choices.

"Football is a global business now and at the moment I don't think we are in a position to compete.

"In Gianluca we have brought in a man who can help me enormously in what I want to do and help push the club forward.

"We need that knowledge and I haven't got that knowledge."

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