West Ham United has acquired 20-year-old American Jonathan Spector from Manchester United for 500,000 pounds ($900,000).
Spector signed with United in 2003 after being part of the third class at the U.S. U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla. The Chicago Sockers product made eight appearances for Manchester United before joining Charlton on loan last season. He had earned a regular spot in the Charlton starting lineup when he suffered a dislocated shoulder late in the campaign that kept him out of the U.S. World Cup team.
''He has huge potential, and we hope that bears fruition at West Ham,'' West Ham manager Alan Pardew told the club's website. ''He is a player we have been tracking for the past 18 months or so. He is definitely one for the future and, with the UEFA Cup campaign to look forward to, he will add to our defensive capacity. Having developed as a young player at Manchester United, he arrives with a fantastic pedigree. I was also very impressed by his character, which was a big factor in bringing him to the club.''