Forgotten ex-West Ham star CONFIRMS Lazio exit and seals emotional transfer before Serie A season finished

FELIPE ANDERSON has confirmed that he will leave Lazio at the end of the season.

The forgotten West Ham star was out of contract at the Serie A outfit at the end of the season.

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Anderson, 31, joined the Hammers from Lazio back in 2018 for a club-record fee of £45million.

After a stellar first season, the attacker began to struggle in the Premier League and was not fancied by manager David Moyes.

The Brazilian was initially sent on loan to Porto but struggled to make an impact in Portugal.

In 2021, Anderson returned to Lazio on a permanent transfer and rediscovered his form.

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Now, Anderson will leave the Rome-based club yet again after revealing he has not reached an agreement on a new contract.

He confirmed his exit on social media with an emotional statement.

It read: "Out of respect for Lazio and its fans who always supported me, I confirm that I have not reached an agreement to renew my contract with the club and I will therefore follow a new path next season.

"I always proved my professionalism and my commitment to Lazio.

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"So I can assure you that I will continue to dedicate myself to honouring this jersey until the very last day of my contract.

"Thank you for everything!"

He is moving back to his native Brazil after having signed a contract with Palmeiras that will run until 2027, despite links to Juventus.

Over his two spells in Italy, Anderson scored 58 goals and assisted 63 in 319 appearances in all competitions.

For West Ham, he made 73 appearances, scored 12 goals and assisted 13 more.

Anderson broke through at Santos as a teenager and impressed enough to earn a £5m move to Lazio.

During his career, he has won the Copa Libertadores, the Recopa Sudamericana, the Supercoppa Italia and an Olympic gold medal.