West Ham have agreed a deal for Lazio midfielder Valon Behrami.

The Daily Mail says the 23-year old Switzerland defender flew into London for a medical after activating a FIFA rule that will allow him to become a West Ham player for a fraction of Lazio's original asking price.

West Ham will sign Behrami for less than a third of his initial £11m valuation after he informed Lazio he was invoking article 17, which gives players nearing the end of their contracts the right to move on without costing a fee.

Lazio will be entitled to compensation and are seeking over £3m, but West Ham are hoping to settle on around £1.5m for a versatile defender who started all three of Switzerland's Euro 2008 matches.