By Sam Lyon
BBC.co.uk
Manchester City have agreed a fee with West Ham to sign striker Craig
Bellamy, the London club have confirmed. The Welshman was left out of the
squad for Sunday's 3-1 win over Fulham after making it clear to club
officials on Friday that he wanted to leave. And the Hammers thrashed out a
deal with City on Sunday after resigning themselves to losing the
29-year-old. The fee is thought to be £14m, while Spurs' interest has ended
after West Ham refused to do business with them. Tottenham were Bellamy's
first choice of club, but the Hammers are reluctant to sell to their London
rivals and always preferred the option of selling to City. Bellamy is now
expected to travel to Eastlands on Monday to discuss personal terms,
although it appears that will be a formality with City ready to offer him a
bumper contract. The development appears to have ended one of the hottest
transfer stories of the January transfer window so far, despite the Hammers'
desire to keep hold of a player who has four goals in his last four league
games, helping the Londoners up to eighth in the table. West Ham chief
executive Scott Duxbury revealed to BBC Sport that he had rejected six bids
for Bellamy, thought to be from City and Tottenham, earlier in the month.
However, BBC Sport understands Bellamy, who had a transfer request turned
down at the start of last week, walked out of training on Friday after
telling the club he wanted to leave. And it now looks certain the move, the
eighth of Bellamy's career, will go ahead, reuniting the striker with former
Wales manager and assistant Mark Hughes and Mark Bowen. Bowen had told BBC
Sport on Thursday: "Of course we're interested in Craig Bellamy, he is a
player we very much admire and we are hopeful we can bring him to Manchester
City. "We've known Craig for many years, and had him at Blackburn Rovers,
and we know what he brings to any team he plays for. "It does make me smile
as I think he is one of those players who you either love or hate. But fans
of teams that he has played for love him and know what he gave for their
team."
Bellamy, who joined West Ham for £7.5m last season, has previously had
spells at Norwich, Coventry, Newcastle, Celtic, Blackburn and Liverpool -
and has 16 goals in 54 appearances for Wales. Meanwhile, Hammers boss
Gianfranco Zola says he will be able to use the money received for Bellamy
to buy a replacement, despite the club's financial problems and suggestions
owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is looking to sell. "If he doesn't want to stay
we can't do anything about it," said Zola. "The player has told me his
wishes and I respect that, so I stand by him. "He wants to have another
experience and go to another club where he might think he will get something
better. Sometimes it happens. "I will get the money to spend on other
players. We are looking at targets."
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