Daily WHUFC News - 23rd June 2015

Neufville signs new deal
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are delighted to announce that England U17 left-back Vashon
Neufville has signed a new contract with the Club. The highly-rated prospect
joined the Hammers Academy at U11 level from Chelsea and has since
progressed through the youth ranks, making his Development Squad debut aged
just 15. Neufville played an integral part for the U18s last season, making
22 appearances, scoring once. Speaking after committing his future to the
Club, the livewire left-back said: "I'm very pleased to have signed my
contract, I just can't wait to get back playing now. "I love West Ham, I'm
very happy to have signed a new three year deal. It's nice to get my
scholarship here but to get the professional deal too is a dream come true.
"This is the best moment of my career. I've had several good moments in a
West Ham shirt but this is definitely the best."

Neufville, still only 15 years of age, has signed a scholarship and will
turn professional on his 17th birthday. He said: "It's a very proud
moment. Making my U21 debut last season at 15 was a good achievement and
hopefully I can push on from here. "I remember being pretty nervous before
the game but the older boys came up to me and told me not to worry. I think
I did OK. My target for next season is to be in and around the U21s next
season. "It's a very exciting time to be at West Ham. I hope one day to make
my debut in the new Stadium, if not before. I can't wait to go to the new
Stadium, I went there a few months ago for a tour. It was an amazing place
and an amazing experience. It was very moving, an eye-catching stadium."

Academy manager and head of coaching and player development Terry Westley
added: "Vashon signing for us is great news for the Academy and the Club.
He's an England U17 international and he was very sought after. "We're
delighted that he has decided to stay at West Ham. He's seen the development
plan we've put in place for him and he's decided that this is the best place
for him. "He likes the way we work here, he enjoys training and there's a
good group of players here. This is the place he wants to be. It's a big
lift for us because he's one of the best players for his age group in the
country. "He's already played U21 football, he's a modern attacking left
back, he's quick, he likes to get forward. "We'll get to work on 1 July and
put that plan in practise. We're expecting big things from him."

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Hammers face Andorra trip in Europa League
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's UEFA Europa League adventure will begin with a first
qualifying round tie against FC Lusitans of Andorra. The Hammers are
provisionally scheduled to travel to FC Lusitans' 1,000-capacity Camp
d'Esports d'Aixoval on Thursday 2 July before the return leg at the Boleyn
Ground on 9 July. However, as both teams from Andorra have been drawn at
home first, there is a possibility of the first leg location being reversed.
UEFA are to confirm this later today. Lusitans are based in Andorra la
Vella, the capital of the principality. The football club were formed in
1999 and are also known as Lusitanos. The club's name, crest and kit reflect
its Portuguese identity and they play at the 1,000-capacity Camp d'Esports
d'Aixoval. Twice league champions in 2011/12 and 2012/13, they booked their
place in the UEFA Europa League by finishing as runners-up last year. This
will be their third participation in the Europa League and have lost in the
first qualifying round in their previous attempts. Should the Hammers
prevail, they can look forward to a second qualifying round meeting with
either Birkirkara of Malta or Armenian outfit Ulisses. West Ham are due to
play the first leg at home on 16 July, before taking to the skies for the
return leg a week later on 24 July.

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Sakho - I am raring to go
WHUFC.com

West Ham United striker Diafra Sakho was full of excitement as he returned
for the opening day of pre-season training and says he is fully fit to start
the new campaign. Sakho was forced to miss the final the month of last
season after suffering a thigh injury against Stoke on April 11. But the
Senegal forward has been working hard throughout the summer to regain full
fitness and cannot wait for the new season to get underway. After scoring 12
goals in his opening season in English football, Sakho is hoping to have an
even better campaign and be among the top scorers in the Premier League.
Sakho said: "I am happy to be back and see all the players. I would like to
score 20 goals next season."

Midfielder Matt Jarvis is also relishing the chance to work under Slaven
Bilic and hopes to impress the new manager over the next few weeks. Jarvis
said: "It is always good to be back, see all the players and talk about the
holidays."

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Tomkins ready for European adventure
WHUFC.com

James Tomkins is pleased the Club have avoided a long journey across Europe
after West Ham United were drawn to face Andorran side FC Lusitans in the
first qualifying round of the Europa League. Tomkins was back for the start
of pre-season training having made a full recovery from a dislocated
shoulder which kept him sidelined for over two months at the end of last
season. The 26-year-old is now relishing the chance to work under new
manager Slaven Bilic and is looking forward to playing European football
this season. Tomkins said: "We could have ended up playing anywhere so
Andorra is not too far to go. It is a draw we are going into as favourites
but it will be a great experience to play in Europe. It is exciting and all
the players are looking forward to it."

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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

It has been really exciting to see the draws made for the first and second
qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League. It could have been a lot worse
for us travelling hours across Europe and I'm looking forward to seeing the
game in Andorra. I'm sure a lot of fans will be excited to see us back
playing in Europe and will be able to travel to a country that is on the
Spanish and French border. It will be even more exciting for FC Lusitans to
visit the Boleyn Ground and I'm sure it will be like a big cup final for
them when they arrive in east London. It is also the chance for a number of
our youngsters to come and watch West Ham play competitive European football
for the first ever time. This is our entry into Europe and is the beginning
of a long journey, but an exciting one at the same time. We know the rewards
for winning the competition is a place in the Champions League and that is
the ultimate dream. I know some of the players have returned for the start
of pre-season training and there is a great deal of excitement around the
squad. This is the beginning of a new adventure and there is a really good
feel around the place. We have already signed Darren Randolph and Pedro
Obiang and we are working hard behind the scenes to try and strengthen the
squad.

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West Ham face trip to Andorra
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 22nd June 2015
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have been drawn away to Andorra Primera Divisió side FC Lusitanos
in the first qualifying round of the Europa League. The Hammers will travel
to the landlocked principality on 2 July to face Lusos - who finished
runners-up to Santa Coloma in the Primera Divisio last season - in the first
leg of the tie, with the return fixture a week later at the Boleyn Ground (9
July). Sadly tickets for travelling supporters are likely to be at a premium
for the first leg, with the minnows' stadium having a capacity of just
1,300.

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Europa clash threatened by Tube strike
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 22nd June 2015
By: Staff Writer

West Ham supporters hoping to see the Hammers play in their first
competitive European fixture for eight years will have to contend with a
planned tube strike. Members of ASLEF, the train drivers and operators union
have declared they will begin a 24-hour strike at 9.30pm on 8 July - the day
BEFORE West Ham are due to host FC Lusitanos in the second leg of the first
qualifying round. Should the strike proceed as planned, disruptions to
normal service means that tubes will only be available AFTER the match has
ended - meaning thousands of Hammers fans will need to make alternative
travel arrangements. ASLEF members have opted for strike action in protest
at current pay and conditions. They could also be joined by members of the
RMT and TSSA unions, potentially leading to further dispution on the public
transport network.

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It's a council house….don't blame us for the Olympic financial cock-up
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 22nd June 2015
By: Paul Walker

I don't know about you lot out there, but I am getting sick to death of West
Ham United being slaughtered every time someone mentions the conversion of
the Olympic Stadium and the cost to the nation's taxpayers.

Forgive me, but what has that go to do with us? It's a council house, we
will be tenants paying rent. Back in the good old days when various members
of my family lived in council houses, they were allowed to paint and
decorate the inside but anything to do with the roof, brickwork, gutters,
windows, doors and general maintenance fell on the owners.

The council. Now I will leave you all a few minutes for that to sink in.
Would you pay for the upkeep and repairs of something you did not own? No,
neither would I - and neither should West Ham.

But these simple facts seem to be constantly lost on the chattering classes,
the posh lot who were the noisy part of the hypocritical athletic elite who
wanted nothing to do with that nasty, overpaid, over-indulged football lot
when the stadium was being designed and built by the Government for the
Olympics.

There was nothing more annoying than being lectured about the moral excesses
of football by pompous, smug supporters of a sport so riddled with drugs
cheats that anyone who ever does something special in track and field is
automatically under suspicion. And don't you dare miss a football drugs test
once, like Rio Ferdinand did.

You get banned and pilloried. If you are Mo Farah those same athletics lot
spend all their time making excuses or blaming the whistle-blower. OK, got
that off my chest.

Only now do we realise that original stadium was just not fit for purpose,
an inadequate structure that was way below the standards needed for use by
professional football, the only viable option for the aftermath of the
Olympics to avoid a catastrophic financial burden on those same taxpayers
many moons into the future.

We also learn that any suggestion that the stadium could have been built to
the template of the Commonwealth Games stadium in Manchester, with future
use by money-making professional football incorporated from the start, was
ignored because of the way the Government had sold large acres of land to
the Channel Tunnel Rail Link builders.

I should at this point direct you to an informative, unbiased, well-written
piece by Dan Roan on the BBC website which attempts to expose just who is to
blame for the current spiralling cost of our new home.

And it is not West Ham's fault. Yes, we are getting the stadium for a £15m
outlay to help with the rebuilding, a fantastic deal. As Rowan's article
points out, roughly the cost of Andy Carroll (seemingly not including his
massive wages and medical bills). But who is to blame for that?

Now there is a Taxpayers' Alliance guy, Andy Silvester, complaining about
the cost of the stadium rebuild to the general public. May I suggest that
without West Ham's, or football's involvement that cost would be massive in
terms of maintenance and upkeep, utterly unsustainable. And none of this is
our fault.

When the negotiations were ongoing, the London Legacy Development
Corporation, the Government, Boris and his lot, could have demanded more.
They could have refused to have football in the place, they could have let
Orient have it - even Spurs. They could have insisted it was restricted to
athletics only.

But they didn't. At the very least, they know the price of something and
very soon realised that anything other that football was not financially
viable in the long term. It has been a tough lesson for Seb Coe and his
athletics cronies, but a lesson still.

They could have let Spurs pull it down, and for the north London club to
rebuild Crystal Palace's athletics arena. But pulling down a taxpayers'
funded iconic stadium was political suicide.

In hindsight, Spurs had the right idea, the place was not fit for purpose
and it would have been cheaper to level it and build something new. Without
a running track.

Ah yes, the dreaded running track that Coe had promised the Olympic
authorities would be retained as part of the athletics legacy. Had they done
that they would seriously have upset its president Lamine Diack (says Rowan)
and Coe's chances of becoming world athletics god in the future would have
been dust. Can't have that, can we?

Now let's look at what was actually built to house about a dozen days of
sporting activity three years ago. A stadium with a roof that did not cover
even half the punters. A stadium with toilet facilities outside the stadium.
A venue without enough catering outlets. A stadium that was designed as a
circle. One with no corporate areas.

A stadium that did not meet UEFA or Premier League standards, so no one-off
major European finals could have been played there.

Now this is all the fault, in my mind, of the holier-than-though athletics
elite, and the MPs and ill-informed general officialdom who allowed them to
insist that the stadium should have nothing to do with that nasty football
business.

So we got a stadium that was not planned for multi-purpose use, one that
could have been constructed the way the now-Etihad stadium in Manchester
was.

Manchester City Council were well aware that when the Commonwealth Games
were being planned, they could not sustain a stadium afterwards without a
football tenant. Impossible, and if Manchester City had not been involved
from the start, the Games would never have happened in Manchester.

That stadium was built so that after the Games, the lower level and
terracing--initially constructed underground--could be dug out, the pitch
then becomes closer to the seating and a smaller athletics stadium built
outside the ground to be used for grassroots participation and regular
athletics meetings.

Works perfectly. That conversion cost £42m. The current bill for turning the
Olympic Stadium into something useable is now £272m, taking the overall cost
to £702m. Brilliant. The new roofing has cost £189m alone, although I did
read something somewhere that we will contribute to the cost of that for the
next ten years.

So now we have come to the reality that athletics, rugby (either code),
cricket, motor racing etc will not be good enough, financially, to avoid a
constant drain on the public purse. And that's where we came in. An empty
stadium costs millions for upkeep, and Governments and councils cannot
handle that.

So the chattering classes have moved on. They got their Olympics and now the
sound-bite MPs can look for the next photo opportunity. The LLDC has been
left to pick up the pieces. This, as I keep saying, is not West Ham's fault.

Sure we have negotiated hard, we are the only gig in town, and Lady Brady
has not wasted all those dinner dates with the Prime Minister.

Oh, before I forget, another bit on Seb Coe. I believe he has involvement
with the company that has recommended that the old Crystal Palace arena be
bulldozed. Just like the famous stadium in Sheffield.

So we have a situation where athletics and swimming at Crystal Palace will
soon be history. So just whose fault is it that vast numbers of grassroots
participation in sport has just melted away in the three years since the
Olympics? So much for the legacy and the people empowered to make it work.

Yes, West Ham have got a good deal, even if the bulk of us are being dragged
kicking and screaming to our new home, desperately sad to be leaving the
Boleyn but aware of the financial needs and requirements that can take out
beloved club to a higher level.

What is going on at the Olympic Park is not down to us, we didn't make the
rules and we didn't plan the whole thing in the first place. If planning is
the right word. The LLDC could have asked for more, driven a harder bargain,
and we could have said no and tried to get planning permission to rebuild
the East Stand, like Liverpool are now doing with their own main stand. And
we could have walked away.

We will get a new stadium that is not ours, we will see the Boleyn sold off
for housing, some social but most of it not. Newham Council are still to
sort out that one.

Our use of the new stadium will amount to about 30 days a year. That's if we
have decent cup runs. The rest of the time it will be used for whatever
money-making event that can be mustered. A multitude of athletics meetings,
rock concerts, rugby world cups, one-day cricket etc, etc. |It is not ours.
Even the naming rights, it seems will not be solely ours.

The public purse will be getting plenty back for their outlay in putting
right the nonsense that went on before. And it will be spread over many,
many years.

So the next time someone mentions that it is our fault, all this, they
should remember that it's a council house, nothing more, nothing less. The
blame is not ours.

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West ham bid £14m for Marseille's Dimitri Payet
Last Updated: 22/06/15 12:26pm
SSN

West Ham have made a £14m bid for Marseille midfielder Dimitri Payet,
according to Sky sources. The Londoners are leading the race to sign Payet,
an attacking midfielder who has been capped by France and can also play out
wide. West Ham have already signed Spain U21 midfielder Pedro Obiang and
former Manchester City trainee Martin Samuelsen since appointing Slaven
Bilic as manager. QPR striker Charlie Austin is odds-on to follow, while
they remain hopeful of signing Alex Song permanently despite interest from
Chelsea and Manchester City.

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Gold: "We're all happy with the draw"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 22, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

David Gold spoke for the board and everybody inside the club when he told
ClaretandHugh: "That's a very good opening draw in the Europa Cup. The
Hammers face an opening cl ash against Lusitanos of Andorra and Gold said:
"It could have been a lot worse than that – everybody is quite happy. "When
the draw was made we were all pretty content. A trip to Wales was the only
better option but by the time you have got to the airport, the trip to
Andorra is about the same and there's no changing time zones "It's the start
of a big adventure and although we came in through the back door via the
Fair Play League, we have a good squad and with the planned new signings we
can do well. "I want to win this competition and I believe the fans are
going to enjoy a great ride in our last season at Upton Park."

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Hammers odds on to reach second round
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 22, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

West Ham's season will begin with a trip to Andorra minnows FC Lusitans on
July 2nd in the first leg of their Europa League first qualifying round with
the second leg on Thursday 9th July at the Boleyn ground.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes see the game as a formality and give the Hammers 1/20
odds on to win the game, while they quote the Irons with odds of 6/4 shots
to reach the group stage and 50/1 to lift the Europa League trophy.

Meanwhile West Ham are 12/1 to win any major trophy this year, new manager
Slaven Bilic is 4/6 to be sent into the stands during a Premier League
match this season. Bilic is also 18/1 as the first manager to be sacked in
the Premier League but just 2/1 to be sacked by the last day in the
2015/2016 season. Meanwhile you can get 12/1 for Slaven to be named Premier
League manager of the month for August.

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"We don't see Downing leaving for Sunderland"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 22, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

West Ham have warned Sunderland they will want "at least" their money back
should the Black Cats move for Stewart Downing.

Reports were circulating this morning – led by the local paper, The Northern
Echo – that manager Dick Advocaat wanted the player and could make a move
as early as this week.

But an Irons source told ClaretandHugh this evening: "Why would Stewart want
to go there ? He was one of our best players last season and it's usually
the bigger clubs that are interested not those nearer the middle or, as was
the case last season, towards the bottom.

"In any event, we would want the £5 million back we spent on him and a small
profit. There has been no approach and Stewart will be looking forward to
the new season under a more attacking minded coach than Sam Allardyce.

"We don't see him leaving West Ham for Sunderland."

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Hammers return to pre season training
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 22, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

A number of first team players have reported for training at Chadwell heath
this morning with just 11 days before the first Europa league match against
Andorran minnows FC Lusitans. Morgan Amalfitano, Andy Carroll, James
Tomkins, Diafra Sakho, Elliot Lee, Doneil Henry and new boy Darren Randolph
were all pictured arriving at the training ground to start their pre season
training. The squad against FC Lusitans is expected to include a number of
youngsters mixed with a number of senior squad players returning from
injuries.

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West Ham transfer news: Sunderland ready bid for Downing as Hammers target
£14m Payet
Evening Standard
SIMON JOHNSON
Published: 22 June 2015 Updated: 14:45, 22 June 2015

Sunderland are readying a bid to tempt Stewart Downing to quit West Ham for
an emotional return to the north east as the Hammers look to fund a move for
Dimitri Payet. Slaven Bilic is interested in Payet and the Hammers have
reportedly launched a £14m bid for the attacking midfielder, while Downing
could end his spell in east London after two years at Upton Park.
The 30-year-old still has two years left of his contract to run at West Ham,
but Sunderland have made the England international one of their main summer
targets. Downing grew up in nearby Middlesbrough and was a product of his
home-town club's academy, going on to make over 200 appearances for them
before joining Aston Villa in 2009. Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat wants a
winger to strengthen the squad this summer and insiders at the club feel an
offer of a long-term contract will be appealing to Downing. The player has
impressed at West Ham since joining from Liverpool for £6m in 2013. However
the manager that signed him, Sam Allardyce, was replaced by Slaven Bilic
earlier this month and Sunderland feel that they could be willing to listen
to offers. He has already played for the club having enjoyed a brief loan
spell there from Middlesbrough in 2003. Middlesbrough are also monitoring
the situation, although they are unlikely to be able to meet Downing's wage
demands.

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Lusitanos lowdown
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 22, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

The club was founded in 1999

O they played for the first time in the Campionat de Lliga in 2000–2001,
after winning the Second Division championship.

O The squad is part time and made up mainly of Poruguese players –

O In 2001–2002 they won its first title, the Copa Constitucioafter winning
2–0 in the final against Inter Cub d'Escaldes.

O The club played its first t European matches in the 2010-11 Uefa Europa
League where they were eliminated 11-0 on aggregate by Macedonian club
Rabotnicki.

O They did marginally better the following season when beaten only 6-1 by
Croatian outfit Varazdin 6-1 on aggregate.

O Since their promotion to the top division they have not been relegated,
and won their first title in 2012.

O They thus qualified for the 2013 Champions League but were knocked out
9-1 on aggregate in the first qualifying round by Maltese champions
Valletta.

O They won their second league title in 213 qualifying for the 2013-14
Champions League where they were drawn to play EB/Streymur of the Faroe
Islands. In the first leg they drew 2–2 despite winning 2–0 and missing a
penalty to go 3–0, in the second leg they lost 5–1, losing 7–3 on aggregate

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Irons face Birkirkara or Ulisses in second round
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 22, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

A further 15 clubs entered the draw in the second qualifying round, joined
by 51 winners from the first qualifying round. West Ham will play Maltese
team Birkirkara or Armenian club Ulisses over two legs if they proceed to
the second qualifying round by beating Andorran team FC Lusitans over two
legs in the first qualifying round scheduled to be played on 2nd and 9th
July. The second qualifying round will take place 16th and 23rd July.

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West Ham Europa League draw: Hammers to begin European campaign against
Andorra runners-up FC Lusitanos
The Independent
JACK DE MENEZES Author Biography Monday 22 June 2015

West Ham will face Andorra's FC Lusitanos in the first qualifying round for
the Europa League. The Hammers finished top of Uefa's Fair Play league table
in 2014/15, meaning they get an entry to the second-tier European tournament
at the very first stage despite finishing 12th in the Premier League.
Liverpool, Tottenham and Southampton will all join them in the competition
at a later stage providing West Ham can negotiate the qualification stages,
with the squad returning for pre-season training today, some way ahead of
schedule had they not qualified for the Europa League. The players return
from their short holiday to find a new manager in charge, with former
Croatia and Besiktas head coach Slven Bilic now in charge for the club's
final season at Upton park before they relocate to the Olympic Stadium for
next season. Sevilla won last season's Europa League final Sevilla won last
season's Europa League final 102 teams go into the first qualifying round
for the 2015/16 Europa League, with the final set to be held at St
Jakob-Park in Basle, Switzerland, on 18 May 2016. Hammers fans face a
long-distance trip if they wish to drive to the away leg of the tie, with
Lusitanos's Camp d'Esports d'Aixovall 820 miles away from Upton Park.

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Vashon commits to Hammers
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 22, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Young Hammer and England U17 left-back Vashon Neufville has signed a new
contract with the Club. He joined the Hammers Academy at U11 level from
Chelsea and such was his promise he made his Development Squad debut aged
just 15. He made 22 appearances for the U18s last season and scored once. He
told the official site: "I'm very pleased to have signed my contract, I
just can't wait to get back playing now. "I love West Ham, I'm very happy to
have signed a new three year deal. It's nice to get my scholarship here but
to get the professional deal too is a dream come true. "This is the best
moment of my career. I've had several good moments in a West Ham shirt but
this is definitely the best." Academy manager and head of coaching and
player development Terry Westley added: "Vashon signing for us is great news
for the Academy and the Club. He's an England U17 international and he was
very sought after. "We're delighted that he has decided to stay at West Ham.
He's seen the development plan we've put in place for him and he's decided
that this is the best place for him."

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David Gold: 'Modibo Maiga will be given chance'
West Ham's Modibo Maiga in action against Cardiff on August 17, 2013© Getty
Images
By Steven Toplis, Reporter
Filed: Monday, June 22, 2015 at 11:40 UK

West Ham United co-owner David Gold has suggested that Modibo Maiga will be
given the chance to resurrect his career with the Hammers. The 27-year-old
striker has fallen out of favour at Upton Park in recent seasons and has
been loaned out to Queens Park Rangers and Metz in the past two campaigns.
However, Gold has hinted that the Mali international will start with a clean
slate under new manager Slaven Bilic this summer. "Maiga is in the
pre-season squad. It's up to him and Slaven to decide what will happen. He
will get his chance," Gold wrote on Twitter.
Maiga, who joined West Ham in 2012, scored nine goals in 25 appearances for
Metz in Ligue 1 last season

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West Ham have no interest in £15m Newcastle and Chelsea target
11:31 22 June 2015
Jack Green
London 24

West Ham are not interested in signing Charlie Austin from QPR, according to
the Telegraph. The Hammers have been heavily linked with the English
striker, who scored 18 goals in the Premier League last season, ever since
QPR were relegated. On Saturday, betting odds were slashed on Austin moving
to Upton Park as a £15m deal looked to be on the cards. But the Telegraph
now report that there have been no offers from any clubs for the 25-year-old
and West Ham are not among the teams that would consider a move for him at
this point. That news will come as a surprise to West Ham fans as the club
were thought to be among the favourites to snap up Austin. With the Hammers
out of the race the likes of Newcastle, Southampton and Chelsea should have
a clear path to make a move for the striker. The Magpies are particularly
keen as new manager Steve McClaren is a big admirer of Austin's talents.

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West Ham chief admits 'promising' youngsters could alter Hammers transfer
plans
11:19 22 June 2015
Pete Evans
London 24

The emergence of centre-backs Reece Oxford and Reece Burke may see West Ham
stay out of the market for new centre-backs, says co-chairman David Gold.
Burke, who won the Young Hammer of the Year award in 2014/15, impressed
during a string of first-team starts at the end of the season while England
Under-17 international Oxford has often made matchday squads. The Hammers
have been linked with the likes of Vedran Corluka and Micah Richards, before
his move to Aston Villa, since the end of the season with some fans
pinpointing that area as one of weakness. But with international
centre-backs James Collins and Winston Reid joining James Tomkins and
22-year-old Doneil Henry in the West Ham squad that begun pre-season
training on Monday Gold believes reinforcements in that area may not be
necessary. When a fan claimed on Twitter that West Ham 'need a central
defender' Gold replied: "Possibly but we do have Tomkins Reid Collins Henry
+ two very promising young centre backs in Burke and Oxford."

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Vashon Neufville pens new West Ham United contract
thefa.com
By Gary Stonehouse
Staff Writer
22 Jun 2015


England Under-16s defender Vashon Neufville has signed a new contract with
West Ham United. The left-back joined the Hammers academy at U11s level from
Chelsea, and has since progressed through the ranks to become an integral
member of the club's U18s last season, where he made 22 appearances and
scored once. The 15-year-old, who won four caps for the Young Lions under
Steve Cooper as well as appearing for his country at the Nordic U17
Tournament last summer, told WHUFC.com: "I'm very pleased to have signed my
contract, I just can't wait to get back playing now. 'I hope one day to make
my debut in the new stadium, if not before' "I love West Ham, I'm very happy
to have signed a new three year deal. "It's nice to get my scholarship here
but to get the professional deal too is a dream come true. "This is the
best moment of my career. I've had several good moments in a West Ham shirt
but this is definitely the best."
Neufville has signed a scholarship and will turn professional on his 17th
birthday. He said: "It's a very exciting time to be at West Ham. I hope one
day to make my debut in the new stadium, if not before. "I can't wait to go
to the new stadium, I went there a few months ago for a tour. "It was an
amazing place and an amazing experience. It was very moving, an eye-catching
stadium."

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic says signing Barcelona star Alex Song would send
out a message
HITC
Damien Lucas

Signing Barcelona midfielder Alex Song permanently this summer would show
the world just how ambitious West Ham United are for the future. That's
according to new boss Slaven Bilic who admitted in an interview on the
club's official site that the Hammers are doing all they can to tie up a
deal for the African star after his season-long loan spell. Song completed
something of a shock move to East London last August in search of more game
time and to kick-start a career which had been stunted at the Camp Nou. And
it certainly worked as the former Cameroon international led the Hammers to
their best ever start to a Premier League campaign as they sat fourth by
Christmas. But niggling injuries hampered his form and it had a direct
impact on the team as the Hammers dropped like a stone in the new year to
finish 12th. With a new manager in place, West Ham co-owner David Sullivan
recently admitted he was trying to get the 27-year-old former Arsenal man
signed permanently.

And Bilic believes if they do it will send out a message to other clubs
about West Ham's desire to challenge the top sides. "Look, we know what Alex
Song is and it also shows the size of the club," Bilic told West Ham's
official website. "If someone had told you three years ago that Alex Song
will play for West Ham very few people, apart from the fans of course, would
believe it. "He played last year now the club is trying to keep him, it is
good for us of course and that also shows the ambition of our club."

Song played 28 games last season and early on there was a running joke on
the terraces that the Man of the Match could be named before kick-off given
the number of times Song had won the award. Injuries undoubtedly affected
his form later in the season and when Sam Allardyce departed last month it
seemed Song may have played his last game for the club. However, the Hammers
won't have it all their own way signing Song with the likes of Chelsea and
Manchester City - as reported by the Independent - interested in a player
who crucially counts as homegrown from his time under Arsene Wenger as an
Arsenal youngster.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Look To Land Inter Milan Midfielder On Loan
by Alexander Biddle »

West Ham United are eyeing up a loan move for Inter Milan's Zdravko
Kuzmanovic to kickstart a summer spending spree. With new boss Slaven Bilic
at the helm, West Ham are looking to rebuild ahead of their final season at
Upton Park, before making the move to the Olympic Stadium. According to the
Mirror, the 27-year-old Serbian international is understood to be among a
number of the Italian giants players who are up for grabs in the summer, and
would be a coup for the Hammers, who are willing to support Bilic's
interests ahead of the new season. As they plan to rebuild ahead of the new
season, the East Londoners have already tabled a £14million bid for the
hughly rated Marseille winger Dmitri Payet, who, if accepted, would become
the club's second biggest signing behind Andy Carroll. The France
international, who had the highest number of assists in Ligue 1 last season
is able to play out wide or centrally.There are however concerns at the club
over the amount of money being demanded for Payet. West Ham United are
eyeing up a loan move for Inter Milan's Zdravko Kuzmanovic to kickstart a
summer spending spree.
With new boss Slaven Bilic at the helm, West Ham are looking to rebuild
ahead of their final season at Upton Park, before making the move to the
Olympic Stadium. According to the Mirror, the 27-year-old Serbian
international is understood to be among a number of the Italian giant's
players who are up for grabs in the summer, and would be a coup for the
Hammers, who are willing to support Bilic's interests ahead of the new
season. As they plan to rebuild ahead of the new season, the East Londoners
have already tabled a £14million bid for the hughly rated Marseille winger
Dmitri Payet, who, if accepted, would become the club's second biggest
signing behind Andy Carroll. The France international, who had the highest
number of assists in Ligue 1 last season is able to play out wide or
centrally. There are however concerns at the club over the amount of money
being demanded for Payet.

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West Ham United and Sunderland will reportedly do battle for Tottenham
Hotspur winger Andros Townsend
http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/

West Ham United and Sunderland will reportedly do battle for Tottenham
Hotspur's England international, Andros Townsend. The Sun claim the
23-year-old is being targeted by Spurs' London rivals West Ham, whilst the
Newcastle Evening Chronicle say Sunderland are keen on bringing the winger
to the Stadium of Light this summer. Townsend made 17 Premier League
appearances for Mauricio Pochettino's men last season but only ten of those
came as starts. The Leytonstone-born flyer featured more regularly in the
cup competitions, making a further 15 appearances in Europe and domestic
competitions.

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FORMER WEST HAM MAN CONTINUES FINE MLS FORM WITH THIRD LA GALAXY GOAL IN A
WEEK
Posted on June 22, 2015 by Louis East Leave a comment
mlsgb.com

New LA Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget continued his fine start to life
in MLS with a third goal in a week during Saturday's 5-1 win against the
Philadelphia Union at LA's StubHub Center. The 22-year-old joined the Galaxy
from Premier League side West Ham United in May and has made a fine
impression so far. Things didn't start so well for the American as he made
his debut off the bench in LA's shock 4-0 loss at Orlando City, before
coming on in the 1-0 defeat at home to the Vancouver Whitecaps two weeks
later. He then made his first start in the 1-1 draw against the Columbus
Crew last weekend, scoring the Galaxy's goal in an impressive display that
saw him named man of the match by Whoscored.com. Things only got better on
Wednesday night as Lletget started, and scored, for the second consecutive
game in the 6-1 US Open Cup victory against PSA Elite. And the former Hammer
then rounded off a memorable week with a third goal in three during
Saturday's 5-1 win over the Union. He came off the bench in the 56th minute
and scored the Galaxy's fifth goal just eight minutes later, capping off a
fine team move with a placed shot from the edge of the box. "I'm feeling
good. I think [my form] physically was the big issue in the beginning, just
fitness wise, but I'm really coming along now. But as soon as the next game
starts, I just forget about all of that until I get another [goal]," he said
after Saturday's game. "I think from the moment I got here, they were
already great, but I'm just happy I'm adding to that. And we want to win
every game and every championship we can get."

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West Ham 'to complete Dimitri Payet transfer with new £14m bid'
Jamie Sanderson for Metro.co.uk
Monday 22 Jun 2015 8:14 am

West Ham are expecting to complete the signing of Dimitri Payet after making
a new offer, according to reports. The Hammers have made Marseille attacker
Payet one of their main transfer priorities for the summer, as they plan for
life under Slaven Bilic. And while Marseille have turned down an opening
bid, reports say West Ham expect to seal the signing of Payet shortly after
making an improved £14million offer. That's apparently very close to the
asking price and should be enough to do business. A skilful and tricky
attacker, Payet scored seven goals last season and picked up a huge 21
assists.

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David Gold's response when asked if West Ham need a new centre-back
HITC
Subhankar Mondal

West Ham United have been busy signing players this summer. West Ham United
co-chairman David Gold has suggested on social networking site Twitter that
the club do not need to sign a new central defender this summer. The Hammers
have been busy in the transfer market so far this summer and have already
made two major signings. Midfielder Pedro Obiang has joined from Italian
club Sampdoria, while goalkeeper Darren Randolph will arrive on a free
transfer after leaving Birmingham City. Youngster Martin Samuelsen has also
moved on a free transfer after leaving Manchester City, while left-back
Stephen Hendrie had agreed a pre-contract with the Hammers back in January.
West Ham are likely to make more signings between now and the start of the
2015-16 campaign, but Gold has suggested in response to a question on
Twitter that the London outfit may not recruit a centre-back.


Dale @max_reader
@davidgold we need a central defender I'd reckon end vlaar
10:52 PM - 21 Jun 2015

David Gold ?@davidgold
Possibly but we do have Tomkins Reid Collins Henry + two very promising
young centre backs in Burke and Oxford. dg
https://twitter.com/max_reader/status/612739856591138816 …
11:51 PM - 21 Jun 2015

Gold's argument is very valid, and perhaps West Ham can do with the
centre-backs they have at the moment. Of course, newly-appointed manager
Slaven Bilic may think otherwise, but the Hammers do have good options in
central defence.

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West Ham to RIVAL Chelsea for £12m Tottenham midfielder
WEST HAM are reportedly ready to join Chelsea in the hunt to sign Mousa
Dembele.
By CHARLES PERRIN
PUBLISHED: 03:06, Mon, Jun 22, 2015 | UPDATED: 03:16, Mon, Jun 22, 2015
Express.co.uk

The former Fulham ace signed for Tottenham three years ago, but he has found
first-team opportunities scarce under Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs are in the
midst of a summer overhaul, as they seek to get rid of their deadwood.
Chelsea are thought to be keen to sign Dembele, with Jose Mourinho seeking
cover for his midfield But The Sun claim West Ham are ready to join the race
to sign the Belgian. They suggest new manager Slaven Bilic is an admirer and
believes Dembele would strengthen his side. Bilic will start work with the
Hammers today, as the players will report early for training ahead of their
Europa League qualifiers.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic to get his West Ham managerial career under way with an early
Europa League campaign
By JAMES RESTALL FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:38, 21 June 2015 | UPDATED: 06:35, 22 June 2015

Less than six weeks after their final Premier League game of the season,
West Ham will be back in action in just 10 days as they kick off their
Europa League campaign. Slaven Bilic will discover his first opponents as
Hammers boss on Monday when the draw for the first qualifying round is made
at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. The first leg will take place
on July 2 with the second a week later, and West Ham - who qualified through
the fair play table - are the highest seeded team in the hat. They could be
handed an 8,108-mile round-trip to FC Kairat in Kazakhstan, or a hop across
the Welsh border to face Airbus UK Broughton. A clash with Gibraltan outfit
College Europa, the tournament's lowest-ranked team, is also on the cards.
The Dolphins' keeper Jamie Robba stole the show between the sticks for
Gibraltar in November when he helped restrict Germany to four goals in a
Euro 2016 qualifier.

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