Vaz Te leaves West Ham

17 January 2015 11:46

Ricardo Vaz Te has had his contract with West Ham terminated by mutual consent.

The 28-year-old forward has been linked with a move to Turkey and can now pursue any new deal as a free agent.

The Portuguese, who began his senior career under Sam Allardyce at Bolton and later had spells with Hull, Hibs and Barnsley, joined West Ham in January 2012 and scored the winner in the Championship play-off final win over Blackpool that May.

However, he has fallen down the pecking order since the club's subsequent return to the Premier League, and has made only five first-team appearances this season.

"It has been a pleasure to be at a club like West Ham," Vaz Te said on the West Ham website. "It was a fantastic opportunity and I am so grateful for having played here. Everything I achieved here and all my game time and my life off the pitch has been amazing.

"I will never forget that day at Wembley - it was so special for me and for all of the fans involved. That is the kind of moment you don't intend to forget. I'm very fortunate to have had that moment and I'm pleased I could do that for the fans, for the club and for my team-mates.

"I would like to thank the West Ham fans and to tell them to keep supporting the club through what is going to be an exciting time over the next few years."

Source: PA