West Ham sign Parker in £7m deal

Parker was made Newcastle captain at the start of the 2006/07 season

West Ham United have completed the signing of Newcastle midfielder Scott Parker in a £7m transfer.

Parker, 26, who joins on a five-year contract, will link up at Upton Park with manager Alan Curbishley, who was his boss at Charlton.

Curbishley said: "He's been captain of Newcastle over the last couple of seasons and he's exactly the type of player that I wanted to bring in.

"He's very experienced but still young - I'm sure he'll be a big asset."

Interview: West Ham's Scott Parker

Curbishley was in the market for a central midfielder as skipper Nigel Reo-Coker is set to leave the club this summer.

Parker spent seven years with Curbishley at The Valley and made his England debut against Denmark in 2003 before completing a £10m move to Chelsea.

606: DEBATE Is Parker a good signing?

But with first-team opportunities limited at Stamford Bridge, he moved to St James' Park in a £6.5m deal in 2005 and was made skipper last summer.