West Ham United sign Havard Nordtveit from Borussia Monchengladbach

West Ham United have announced the signing of Havard Nordtveit from Borussia Monchengladbach on a free transfer.

The Norwegian defensive midfielder, who spent three years at Arsenal from 2007 to 2010, has signed a five-year deal and will join up with his new teammates on July 1.

"It has always been a dream for me to play in the Premier League and now I have a big opportunity to do that for West Ham - I cannot wait to start," Nordtveit told the club's official website.

"This team has something special, a spirit in the team that I can fit into. I will work hard and hopefully I can get some good moments at this club.

"I'm a player who can play many roles on the pitch, but I'm from Norway so maybe a little bit more running, tackles and try to spread a few balls around me. I'm looking forward to showing what I can do, but hopefully I have something to help West Ham achieve even more."

The 25-year-old, who can also play in defence, has earned 28 caps for Norway and scored two goals since making his senior international debut in 2011.

On the final day of the Premier League season, the Hammers finished in seventh place, but they can still qualify for next season's Europa League as long as Manchester United beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final this weekend.