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The club shook the football world on Thursday by announcing that they have signed long-term contracts with prominent Argentine football stars - midfielder Javier Mascherano and forward Carlos Tevez. Earlier it was thought that both players, who represented the Brazilian team "Corinthians," would only be loaned out, but the London team announced that they have acquired the Argentine players for longer than a year for an undisclosed sum. "West Ham" club happily declared in an official statement that they have signed contracts with the Argentine national team stars C.Tevez and J.Mascherano. "Both players were acquired for an undisclosed sum and signed long-term contracts. All other transfer details will remain confidential and will not be disclosed." "This is a very big step forward for West Ham, as many famous clubs from the old continent were also involved in the fight for the Argentinians." Recently appointed as the new coach of Corinthians, Emerson Leao took away the captain's armband from C.Tevez and publicly announced that he did not want to see any Argentine players in his new club. After this statement, the player decided to leave the club immediately. 22-year-old C.Tevez, also known as "the bulldog," is known for his excellent ball control skills and is often compared to England's wonderkid Wayne Rooney. Clubs like Munich's "Bayern," London's "Chelsea," "Milan," and "Man Utd" have shown interest in him. Meanwhile, J.Mascherano, despite his small stature, is currently considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Famous Spanish clubs such as Real Madrid and Deportivo were interested in him in 2004. However, the player's then team "River Plate" ended negotiations, stating that no team would be able to pay the redemption fee. In 2005, "Corinthians" acquired him for 15 million US dollars. After officially signing their contracts, C.Tevez and J.Mascherano joined the Argentine national team, which is preparing for a friendly match against Brazil at the new London "Arsenal" "Emirates" stadium on Sunday. Meanwhile, the joyful "West Ham" fans are already calling this the beginning of a new era for the team.
