Zola brings in defender Da Costa

Da Costa played for PSV Eindhoven before joining Fiorentina

West Ham have signed Fiorentina's Portuguese defender Manuel da Costa in a swap deal that involves winger Savio Nsereko moving to the Serie A club.

The 23-year-old Da Costa, who was born in France, played for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven before going to Fiorentina.

He played just one game for Fiorentina, joining Sampdoria on loan in January.

Nsereko, 20, joined West Ham in January for reportedly a club record £9m fee, topping the £7.5m West Ham paid Liverpool for Craig Bellamy in 2007.

When the Ugandan-born German signed for West Ham, the club said they had beaten off "fierce competition" to sign him.

606: DEBATE Should West Ham have kept Nsereko?

Nsereko was named player of the tournament at the 2008 Uefa Under-19 Championship in the Czech Republic, which was won by Germany.

But he failed to live up to expectations during his time at Upton Park and failed to find the net in his 11 appearances.

West Ham will receive 50% of any fee received by the Viola if they sell on Nsereko.

"This is a good deal for everyone concerned," West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury told the club's website.

Nsereko made his only West Ham start against West Brom on 16 March

"Although not for the want of trying, Savio has struggled to make an impact for various reasons, while Manuel is also looking for a fresh start.

"Had our financial situation been different we would have preferred to have kept and developed Savio."

Hammers technical director Gianluca Nani had worked with the Germany Under-19 international when he was at Brescia.

Da Costa also endured a tough time last season having joined Fiorentina in January 2008.

A former target for Inter Milan and Juventus, he made just one league appearance before being sent on a six-month loan to Sampdoria.

The switch failed to turn round his fortunes and he made just three appearances during his spell in Genoa.