Daily WHUFC News - 19th July 2017

Hart will bring 'winning mentality' - Slaven Bilic
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic believes Joe Hart's 'winning mentality' will help to bring out the best in his new West Ham United team-mates. The England goalkeeper completed his season-long loan move from Manchester City on Tuesday afternoon, and will fly out to Austria immediately to join the Hammers' squad at their pre-season camp in Bad Waltersdorf. The 30-year-old follows his former City team-mate Pablo Zabaleta as the second new arrival at London Stadium this summer, and Bilic spoke exclusively to whufc.com out in Austria once the deal was confirmed. "I am delighted to welcome Joe to West Ham," said the Hammers boss. "It has taken a few days to get everything sorted out but I am very happy now that it is done. "Once we found out there was a possibility that Joe might be available, everyone agreed that it was a fantastic opportunity for us as a Club. "He is the England number one, he has great experience but, at 30-years-old, he is still in his prime as a goalkeeper and can be at the top of his game in the next few years. "Like Pablo Zabaleta, he has a winning mentality, he is hungry, and as a manager you want that to rub off on the rest of the squad and bring out the best in everyone."

That includes the two senior goalkeepers already in his squad, who are both well-versed in the unique situation of working closely with each other in training every day while battling fiercely for the one position available, and Bilic has no doubt that Adrian and Darren Randolph will respond to Hart's arrival in the right way.
"We are very lucky – we now have three very good goalkeepers," he said. "When we found out that Joe was definitely going to sign, I spoke to both Adrian and Randy and explained the situation. "They are both great professionals. Of course, in an ideal world, I would like everyone to be happy but, as a football manager, that is not possible. "We will always try to do things the right and correct way but, at the end of the day, my job is to do what I think is best for the football club, and that is what I will do. "I said a few days ago that we wanted to sign players who are going to improve our starting eleven. But that doesn't mean that they walk straight into the team. It means that they improve the level of competition for those places. That competition is crucial."

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Bilic: 'It was a competitive game'
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic declared himself satisfied with the physical condition of his players after Monday evening's 0-0 draw against Sturm Graz II in the first warm-up match of the pre-season campaign. The Hammers boss gave each of his players a 45-minute work-out against a young and energetic opposition, and was happy to see everyone come through it unscathed, although admitted that his team will need to improve in front of goal. "It was as we planned – two sets of 45 minutes as a part of the training programme," said Slaven. "We trained this morning before the game and the guys have also done a bit of extra running after playing this evening. "It was a competitive game – Sturm Graz were a very lively team and they can play football. Of course they are at a different level, and we should have scored maybe five or six goals. "But, to be fair, we are not scoring enough goals in training at the moment, so it was the same in the game, but running-wise it was a good session for us. "It was a good opponent for this stage but if we are looking strictly at the game, we have to score goals."

While he hopes to see that side of his team's game improve in the weeks to come, for now the Croatian is focused fully on increasing fitness levels and is set to give each of his players another 45-minute session against Fulham on Thursday in Graz. "We planned this part of the pre-season in Austria completely based and focused on the training, so the two games here are a part of the training," he said. "On Thursday we have a better opponent in Fulham, but the approach is still the same and it fits around our training. In Germany, we are still going to train hard there but it is going to be based more on the games."

The boss also revealed that Senegalese midfielder Cheikou Kouyate picked up a knee injury in training last week which is still being assessed but, overall, the trip is going completely to plan. "The only one problem we've had is with Cheikhou, who injured his knee in a very strange and awkward way during training, but apart from that I'm happy with everything," said Slaven. "The boys are training hard, they are pushing really hard, the facilities are really good and it is a great place to be."

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Zabaleta: I'm feeling good after first Hammers run-out
WHUFC.com

Pablo Zabaleta was in a positive frame of mind after his first taste of action in a West Ham United shirt on Monday evening. The Argentine defender made his first appearance for the Club with a 45-minute run-out in the 0-0 draw against Sturm Graz II at Bad Waltersdorf in Austria, and insisted the encounter provided the ideal physical test at this early stage of the team's pre-season preparations. Speaking to West Ham TV after the game, he said: "It felt good. It was a shame not to win the game – you always want a victory – but of course the main thing is to get the minutes. "That was our first 45 minutes after 10 days of hard work, and it was good for the team to build up the fitness levels. "The game was good, obviously we didn't score but we created a few good chances and their goalkeeper was fantastic. "It is early days, we have got plenty of time to keep working and be more focused on tactics. "We have another game on Thursday against Fulham, and it will be a good test for us to keep improving as a team and increase the confidence."

Having now spent a full week with his new team-mates at the Club's training camp in Austria, Zabaleta admitted he has settled in perfectly to life as a Hammer and is looking forward to what the new campaign brings. "I'm really enjoying myself," he said. "All the lads are fantastic, every single person around the Club has been great, so I'm very pleased. "I can't wait for the start of the season. Hopefully we can bring in a few more players to improve the squad, and there are still a few to come back soon from injury, so we all aim to be at 100% for the start of the season."

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Tunji Akinola enjoying Football League tests in pre-season
WHUFC.com

Defender Tunji Akinola is relishing the tests being provided to the U23s so far as the Hammers youngsters prepare for their second pre-season match. Terry Westley's group were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Sky Bet League Two side Barnet on Saturday and come up against the Bees' league counterparts Colchester United on Tuesday evening (7.45pm kick-off). After a long summer break, Akinola is enjoying being thrown in the deep end as he prepares to compete in four different competitions - Premier League 2, Premier International Cup, Premier League Cup and Checkatrade Trophy - with the U23 this season. "It was a long time off but obviously we needed the break," Akinola admitted. "I'm very happy to be back and we can start getting our fitness back. "It was a nice time off. I spent time with family and friends and just chilled with them but obviously I missed playing so that makes me very keen to be back. "They [Barnet] are a League Two team and they had lots of experienced players. At the end of the day, we're going to be up against those sorts of test when we move up to mens football. It was good to see how our guys responded to that and I think we did very well."

Akinola played a key role as the U23s clinched promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 last season and he is targeting more improvements this year. "I think my focus at the minute is trying to play every week for the U23s and get lots of minutes under my belt," he continued. "Then after Christmas, depending on how I've done, I can look to go out on loan. We'll see what happens."

The U23 have two more pre-season friendlies before jetting off to Slovakia on Sunday for a training camp. Dagenham and Redbridge await on Sunday, but before that Akinola and co face arguably their toughest assignment in Colchester. The Us missed out on the League Two play-offs by the smallest of margins last season and Akinola is looking forward to another difficult test. "I think Colchester will be a lot tougher than Barnet because they finished higher last season but it's the kind of test we want and hopefully we can do well."

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Arnautovic says goodbye to Stoke
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

Marko Arnautovic has bid farewell to his team mates at Stoke ahead of a record-breaking move to West Ham. The club's existing transfer record of £20million, paid to Swansea for Andre Ayew last summer is about to be smashed after the two clubs agreed a fee of circa £23million for the Austrian international. According to the Stoke Sentinel, Arnautovic said goodbye to his current team mates at the Potters' Clayton Wood training complex this morning after City reluctantly accepted a third bid from West Ham for the crowd favourite. Arnautovic, 28, cost Stoke just £2million when moving from Werder Bremen two years ago and was under contract until 2020, hence the vast rise in transfer fee.

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Hammers eyeing Lazio star
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are attempting to hammer out a deal for Lazio forward Keita Balde. The highly-rated Senegal international has been linked with a string of top clubs around Europe this summer but the Hammers are hoping to steal a march on their rivals by putting a deal together for the 22-year-old, according to a KUMB source. Chelsea, Everton, Juventus and Manchester United have all been linked with a move for the starlet, who is currently refusing to sign a new contract with Lazio. The Serie A side are reported to have reluctantly agreed to cash in on his this summer, valuing Balde around the £20-£25million mark. He has also been linked with Tottenham, who have scouts in Italy at present, but reports elsewhere suggest he has rejected the opportunity to move to White Hart Lane.
Born in Spain, Balde spent seven years at Barcelona as a youngster before joining Lazio on a full-time basis in 2013 for just €300,000. Although eligible to play for his country of birth, he opted to play for Senegal and made his full international debut last year.

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Two on their way as Hammers make their move
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

It's a busy day for West Ham in the transfer window, with news that two of the club's prime pre-season targets are on their way... Goalkeeper Joe Hart has arrived in Austria having successfully completed a medical in London yesterday afternoon ahead of his season-long loan switch from Manchester City. The 30-year-old England international will have approximately half of his £100,000+ p/w wages paid by his parent club, who will also receive a £2million loan fee from West Ham.

And elsewhere the Hammers are reported to have finally agreed a fee with Stoke City for Marko Arnautovic, who the Hammers have been chasing for some considerable time. The fee for ther 29-year-old Austrian winger is understood to be in the region of £23million - a huge mark-up on the £2million fee Stoke paid for Arnautovic when signing him from Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen in 2015. It is hoped that both will be unveiled by the club within the next 48 hours.

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Bayer chief preparing for life without Chicharito?
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

Bayer Leverkusen's new head coach Heiko Herrlich has been speaking about the possibility of selling star striker - and key West Ham target - Javier Hernandez.
Hernandez is reported to be available for circa £13million and talks continue to take place between the Mexican international's representatives and thier counterparts from West Ham. However Herrlich admitted today for the first time that Chicharito, as he is perhaps more commonly known could be on his way our of the club. When asked during a press conference about the recent sale of Hakan Calhanoglu to Ac Milan, he replied: "Hakan, of course, has huge quality, as do Kevin Kampl and Chicharito. "But ultimately it's important that the players that you have available identify 100 per cent with the club. Things will soon be clear - then we'll see more. "Chicharito has given great performances in his two years here, but so have many others. You can only achieve success as a team. "I think a club like Bayer Leverkusen will never find themselves depending on just one player."

29-year-old Hernandez, who moved to Bayer from Manchester United in 2015 for £7.3million is reported to be seeking a salary worth around £7.5million per year to join the Hammers.

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Di Canio: West Ham til I die
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

Paolo Di Canio says that he still hopes to return to West Ham in some capacity. The 49-year-old, who still lives in England with his family, has revealed that his one burning ambition is to renew his career at West Ham. "I have always said it is my destiny to come back to West Ham - and I never change my opinion," he said.
"Until I die, I hope to have a role at West Ham, because it would be fantastic before finishing my life. I will never give up, but obviously I know that the club have their own programme. "I follow them with all respect, with my heart and am full of passion for West Ham. I will follow them until I die, whether I get a chance to go back or not. I belong to the family."
However the Italian legend remains sceptical about the club's new ground, which he described as "too big" with "too much space around the field" - even though he feels the team are now beginning to settle into their new surroundings. "It was difficult for everyone to move stadium," he added. "For the fans and even the players who had only played at Upton Park for six months, because that's all you needed to absorb the atmosphere. "The shock of leaving Upton Park, the atmosphere; they paid the price. "It was a place of history and tradition - of Bobby Moore, Trevor Brooking, Geoff Hurst, Billy Bonds. The atmosphere can never be the same [at the Olympic Stadium], but in the end they have done a good job."
Di Canio was speaking from the Star Sixes tournament, where he was representing Italy. Although they qualified for the knockout phase having finished runners-up to Brazil in Group B, Di Canio and his fellow Italians were sent crashing out of the competition by France, who won their quarter final tie 4-2 before going on to win the tournament.

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West Ham hope to seal Javier Hernandez transfer
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 18/07/17 11:08am
SSN

West Ham are hoping to complete a deal to sign forward Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen this week, according to Sky sources. Hammers manager Slaven Bilic is eager to strengthen his attacking options ahead of the new Premier League season and Sky Sports News understands a deal for the Mexico international is edging closer. Hernandez, who spent five years at Manchester United between 2010 and 2015, has a £13m release clause in his contract at Leverkusen. Sky Sports News revealed earlier this month that West Ham had held talks with the 29-year-old about a move to the London Stadium, with the club intent on signing at least one forward this summer. Hernandez has scored 39 times during two seasons with Leverkusen. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Joe Hart has passed his medical ahead of his loan move from Manchester City to West Ham. Sky Sports News understands City will fund part of the England international's wages and that West Ham will have the option of making the move permanent next summer.

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Paolo Di Canio still dreaming of a West Ham return
By Nick Wright
Last Updated: 17/07/17 5:30pm
SSN

Paolo Di Canio speaks to Sky Sports about his enduring love of English football and his determination to return to West Ham in the future. Paolo Di Canio was back in east London to play for Italy in the Star Sixes tournament at the O2 Arena last week. The legs are heavier than they were, but even at 49 years old, there were glimpses of the audacity and skill that made him such an iconic figure just a few miles away at Upton Park. There was a perfectly executed volley in one game and a smooth feint and finish in another. The Italian team eventually went out to France in the quarter-finals, but Di Canio provided plenty of entertainment along the way. In between the smiles, he even found time to argue with the referee. "It's great to be back," he told Sky Sports afterwards. "You could see lots of children in the crowd who were not even born when I finished my career, but still they chanted for me. It means their fathers are delivering the message and the history. That kind of thing only happens in England."

This summer marks the 20th anniversary of Di Canio's arrival in the Premier League with Sheffield Wednesday. His time at Hillsborough ended with his infamous shove on referee Paul Alcock, but he made the most of a second chance at West Ham. In between the moments of controversy that would later follow him into his coaching career, there were 52 goals in 141 games. Di Canio still has close ties to England and deep affection for its football. "This is my second home," he says. "I have got my daughters living in England, one in Cambridge, one in Bath, so it really is a second home to me and my family. In terms of football, though, it's my first home. English football is in my blood. I belong to English football."

Di Canio made an indelible mark in West Ham's history between 1999 and 2003 but the club can only dream of having another player like him now. The Hammers moved from Upton Park to the London Stadium last summer with visions of gate-crashing the Premier League elite, but a stormy debut season in their new arena saw them drop four places to 11th. "Obviously I hope this year we can do better," says Di Canio. "At the end of the season [Slaven] Bilic was right to change a few things on the field and improve results. Hopefully that can change the direction for the club, but it was difficult at the beginning. The shock of leaving Upton Park, the atmosphere. They paid the price. "It was difficult for everyone to move stadium, for the fans and even the players who had only played at Upton Park for six months, because that's all you needed to absorb the atmosphere. It was a place of history and tradition, of Bobby Moore, Trevor Brooking, Geoff Hurst, Billy Bonds…" Di Canio trails off but he might have listed his own name among those legends. "To go into a new stadium that looked nothing like the old one was not easy," he continues. "It felt too big, there was too much space around the field and the atmosphere can never be the same. It was not easy, but in the end they have done a good job. They got some good results, especially the 1-0 win against Spurs. That should be the beginning of a new history for West Ham."

Di Canio would dearly love to be a part of it. The Italian has not worked in management since his bruising spell in charge of Sunderland in 2013, instead filling his time as a television pundit for Sky Sports in Italy, but he still hopes to return to West Ham in some capacity in the future. "I have always said it is my destiny to come back to West Ham and I never change my opinion," he says. "Until I die, I hope to have a role at West Ham, because it would be fantastic before finishing my life. I will never give up, but obviously I know that the club have their own programme. "I follow them with all respect, with my heart and full of passion for West Ham. I will follow them until I die, whether I get a chance to go back or not. I belong to the family." Seeing Di Canio back in east London was a reminder of that. Whatever happens next, those memories will live on.

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West Ham held by Strum Graz II in first pre-season friendly ahead of Joe Hart loan arrival
ALEX YOUNG
Evening Standard

West Ham began their pre-season preparations with a dour goalless draw with Sturm Graz II in Austria ahead of the expected loan arrival of Joe Hart. The Hammers have made just one signing this summer, with Pablo Zabaleta - also from Manchester City - joining on a free transfer. Zabaleta, 32, made his first appearance on Monday against Sturm Graz II, who play in the Austrian third tier, as Bilic gave all of his players at least a 45-minute run-out. Hart, meanwhile, is said to be close to committing to a season-long loan in London, which could eventually become permanent as his future now appears to lie away from the Etihad Stadium. The 30-year-old, who spent the previous campaign with Italian club Torino, should head out to Austria later this week once the formalities of the move have been signed off. His arrival will, however, leave the position of current West Ham stopper Adrian uncertain. The Hammers are also looking for attacking reinforcements, but have so far seen their efforts to sign Stoke winger Marko Arnautovic for £20million prove unsuccessful, while Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud and Bayer Leverkusen's Javier Hernandez are further reported targets. Bilic will now prepare his squad for Thursday's friendly meeting with Sky Bet Championship side Fulham before heading to Germany, which will host two matches against Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen in the Betway Cup. West Ham start their new Premier League season away at Manchester United on August 13.

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Marko Arnautovic to complete West Ham move in the next 48 hours for club-record £23m transfer fee
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

West Ham's search for strikers should be rewarded in the next 48 hours, with the signing of Marko Arnautovic from Stoke City. Standard Sport understands that a £23 million deal for the 28-year-old Austrian international has been agreed and that the player himself has settled personal terms. West Ham had earlier had two bids, the first for £15 million and the second for £20 million, rejected by Stoke but it has proved third time lucky for manager Slaven Bilic, who is desperate to add some fire power up front for his West Ham team next season, particularly with Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho still out injured. Stoke were keen to clear £20 million as they are obliged, under the terms of a contract signed when the player joined them from Werder Bremen four seasons, ago to pay the German club 20 per cent of any further transfer fee. Arnautovic, who injured a knee in a pre-season match for Stoke last week, is expected to undergo a medical and then join the West Ham squad at their training camp in Austria. Bilic emphasised the need for striking reinforcements following the 0-0 draw with Sturm Graz last night when he said: "We should have scored five or six goals but to be fair we are not scoring in training so it was the same in the game." West Ham are also assessing a knee injury to midfield player Cheikhou Kouyate, picked up in training. England goalkeeper Joe Hart meanwhile, who is joining West Ham on a season-long loan from Manchester City, passed a medical in London on Monday night.

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West Ham near deal to sign Marko Arnautovic from Stoke
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 18/07/17 2:19pm
SSN

West Ham are close to agreeing a deal to sign Marko Arnautovic from Stoke, according to Sky sources. Sky Sports News understands the deal to take the Austria winger to London Stadium is likely to be completed this week. The 28-year-old has expressed a desire to join West Ham this summer and last week handed in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move. West Ham have so far failed with two bids for Arnautovic, the first at £15m and the second at £20m, but were expected to return with a third offer. Arnautovic has not featured for Stoke since suffering a suspected knee injury in their 1-0 pre-season victory over Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax last week. He joined Stoke from Werder Bremen for £2m in 2013 and scored 26 goals in over 100 appearances for the club. Goalkeeper Joe Hart has passed his medical ahead of his loan move from Manchester City to West Ham, while the Hammers are hoping to complete a deal to sign forward Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen.

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West Ham agree £24m fee with Stoke for Marko Arnautovic
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 18/07/17 7:20pm
SSN

West Ham United have agreed a £24m fee with Stoke City for forward Marko Arnautovic, according to Sky sources. The 28-year-old has expressed a desire to join West Ham this summer and last week handed in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move. West Ham had failed with two bids for Arnautovic, the first at £15m and the second at £20m, but were expected to return with a third offer. Arnautovic has not featured for Stoke since suffering a suspected knee injury in their 1-0 pre-season victory over Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax last week. He joined Stoke from Werder Bremen for £2m in 2013 and scored 26 goals in over 100 appearances for the club. Arnautovic would become West Ham's third signing of the summer following the arrivals of defender Pablo Zabaleta and England goalkeeper Joe Hart, who joined on a season-long loan from Manchester City on Tuesday. The Hammers are also hoping to complete a deal to sign forward Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen this week.

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Marko Arnautovic: West Ham agree £24m deal for Stoke City and Austria forward
By Juliette Ferrington
BBC Sport

West Ham have agreed a deal with Stoke City for the signing of Austria forward Marko Arnautovic. The Hammers had already seen two bids rejected but it is understood Stoke have now accepted a fee in the region of £24m. Arnautovic, 28, joined Stoke from Werder Bremen four years ago and is just 12 months into a four-year contract with the Potters. He scored seven times in 35 games in all competitions last season.

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WEST HAM AGREE €32M FEE FOR CHELSEA AND INTER TARGET
RYAN DARBY @RyanDarby_
ReadWestHam

West Ham and Lazio have agreed on a €32 million fee for Chelsea and Inter Milan target Keita Balde, according to Goal. The report suggests that the fee has been agreed but the two clubs remain in talks as to how it will be paid. With the fee agreed, it is now down to the player, who was widely expected to leave Lazio this summer, to decide whether or not he wants to move to the Premier League or hold out for a move to Inter Milan. The report suggests that West Ham, who have been in talks with the club for some time, are offering €27 million up front with €5 million in add-ons. Wages of 3 million a year are reportedly on the table for Keita, who was one of the most impressive players in Serie A last season. The 22-year-old scored 16 league goals in Serie A during the last campaign and also registered a further three assists for Lazio.

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Six academy youngsters played for West Ham against Sturm Graz II but how did they get on?
The kids had a chance to impress Slaven Bilic in the first pre-season friendly of the summer on Monday evening
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
14:21, 18 JUL 2017UPDATED14:26, 18 JUL 2017

With many West Ham fans clamouring to see the club's young stars get some game time, their wishes were granted on Monday night when all of them got 45 minutes on the pitch. Academy graduates Nathan Holland and Reece Burke got the nod in the first half as they all lined up alongside the more established first teamers. Declan Rice, Josh Cullen, Toni Martinez and Moses Makasi got their chance to shine in the second half as the Hammers drew 0-0 with the Graz reserves in Bad Waltersdorf. So, how did each of the youngsters get on? It's hard to judge on just 45 minutes and you expect they will all get another chance to shine.

Here, we break down each of their performances.

Nathan Holland

He's enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence since signing from Everton in January and starred for the U23s as they won the PL2 Division Two play-offs. Holland has been training with the first team previously and got his chance last night, He looked lively when he had the ball and had a decent chance to open the scoring in the first half but snatched at the ball and the chance was gone. Certainly didn't do anything wrong but there's no doubt he'd have liked to have been involved a bit more but he outshone his more established team mate in Robert Snodgrass who operated on the other wing.

Reece Burke

Looked very calm and assured alongside James Collins at centre half, he couldn't have had a much better partner back there. Pablo Zabaleta on his shoulder as well helped massively as the Argentine fed him the ball a lot to get him into the game. He wasn't overly tested by the Graz II backline but dealt with the high ball well and also showed a good range of passing during the first 45 minutes.

Declan Rice

Played the second 45 minutes and much like Burke, didn't look out of place. Was keen to run the ball out of defence a lot more than his team mates but showed a great ability to deal with the high ball. Rice often drifted into a defensive midfield role which looks like it could suit him well as he is suprisingly strong despite his slight frame. A good 45 for the Irishman.

Josh Cullen

Showed some nice touches but was overshadowed a bit by Edimilson Fernandes, who saw a lot more of the ball than Cullen and played some superb raking passes. He's been hyped up a lot thanks to his excellent loan spells at Bradford so the pressure is on him more than most but that's not his fault. Didn't do anything wrong in his time on the pitch, he always made himself available, but didn't get a lot of chances to show us what he can do.

Moses Makasi

Didn't quite happen for him but to be fair to Makasi, he was playing out of position wide right and sometimes off the striker, whereas he is normally a defensive midfielder by trade. Showed signs of frustrations midway through the half when booting the ball against an advertising hoarding as things didn't go his way. Gave the ball away cheaply and didn't really make much of an impression.

Toni Martinez

Barely had a sniff to be honest but in his defence, the greediness of Sofiane Feghouli at times didn't help the young Spaniard whatsoever. On a number of occasions, he had worked into some space and wasn't found, not just by Feghouli but by others, as he cut a frustrated figure. Had a chance late on but was denied by an excellent challenge.

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'A sad state of affairs' The view from Stoke as Arnautovic closes in on £23m West Ham switch
West Ham transfer news sees the Austria international closing in on a club record move to the London Stadium
Football London
BYCHARLES WATTS
20:30, 18 JUL 2017

Marko Arnautovic's Stoke exit in 'inevitable' as West Ham step up their plans to land the Austria international. That is the view from the Potteries on a transfer saga that's conclusion seems increasingly likely to end in a happy one for the Hammers. Slaven Bilic has endured some frustration in the transfer market so far this summer, especially in his pursuit of a striker. But with Joe Hart now on board things are looking a bit more positive at the London Stadium and Arnautovic could soon join the England keeper in east London. West Ham are confident they can get a deal tied up for the Austrian within the next 48 hours after submitting a third bid for the winger, thought to be a club-record £23m. Personal terms are understood to have been agreed already, with wages of £85,000 a week plus add-ons on the table.
Arnautovic wants the move and the deal could be done by the weekend, with the player due to have a medical at the Hammers imminently. So what do they think of the imminent transfer up in Stoke? Well is seems to be being viewed with a sense of inevitably now - as a column by Martin Smith in the Stoke Sentinel describes. Focusing on the attacker's exit, Smith states: "He's someone who's been very important to the club over the past couple of seasons, having been involved in the scoring and creating of more goals than any other Stoke player, and he did commit to the club last summer when many had predicted he would leave. "His departure now seems inevitable though and all we're doing is wrangling the best possible price out of West Ham. It's a very sad state of affairs but if he doesn't want to stay then he can go. "Arnie's whole game is based around the heart he puts into his efforts and if that heart no longer beats for the red and white stripes then there's no point in him being with us. "The fact that he signed on again last year means that we can negotiate his departure now from a position of real strength and we may as well cash in while we have someone keen enough to pay top price for him. "It'll be extra funds in the bank and, of course, it'll be exactly the type of opportunity which Ramadan Sobhi has been waiting for."

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Javier Hernandez to West Ham: Deal soon, debut against Manchester United - Dharmesh Sheth
JAVIER HERNANDEZ is set to join West Ham in the next few days and looks likely to make his debut against former club Manchester United, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
By LEWIS WINTER
PUBLISHED: 13:27, Tue, Jul 18, 2017 | UPDATED: 13:33, Tue, Jul 18, 2017
Express.co.uk

Bayer Leverkusen forward Hernandez has a £13million release clause which West Ham look set to activate. Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has been on the market for a new striker for a while, with the likes of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho suffering with injury problems. Hernandez had five years at Old Trafford, scoring 37 goals in 103 Premier League appearances, winning the title on two occasions under Sir Alex Ferguson. And he could be set for a reunion with United fans on August 13.
"One move that is edging closer is the striker Javier Hernandez," Sheth said on Sky Sports News. "It's our information a move from Bayer Leverkusen could be finalised in the next week. "West Ham's opening game, yep, is at Hernandez's former club Manchester United."
West Ham are also in the market for Stoke's Marko Arnautovic and are set to make a third bid this week. "We are told this morning talks continue between the clubs," Sheth said on the move for Arnautovic. 'West Ham have had two bids rejected, the latest being £20million. "We expect a third offer and expect it soon."

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Sofiane Feghouli set to seal move to Turkish giants Galatasaray
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Tuesday, July 18, 2017

West Ham flop Sofiane Feghouli is reportedly on the verge of completing a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray. Feghouli, 27, struggled during his first season in the Premier League making 27 appearances in all competitions and netting just four times. And, according to Turkish news outlet Fanatik, the Algeria international is expected in Istanbul this week to finalise the transfer. The move could be completed by the end of the week, as Hammers boss Slaven Bilic reshuffles his squad after an underwhelming campaign last season. Feghouli was not expected to feature prominently for the Londoners this term and has been allowed to move on in search of regular first-team football. Galatasaray are also understood to be closing in on the signing of another Premier League midfielder - Manchester City's Fernando.

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WEST HAM FAVOURITES FOR WILSHERE – BUT PALACE AND SAMPDORIA KEEN TOO
Ladbrokes
18 July 2017

Whatever Jack Wilshere's next move is, it had better be a good one, as the Englishman's career risks drifting into obscurity. The midfielder spent last season on-loan at Bournemouth, and while he proved his fitness, he didn't exactly grab any headlines on the south coast. Now he's entering the final 12 months of his Arsenal contract, and needs to make a big decision in the near future. West Ham United are the 9/4 favourites to land Wilshere, and the move makes a lot of sense for both player and club. It would mean Wilshere doesn't have to up sticks and leave the capital, while West Ham could and should be on the up in the coming seasons after their move to the London Stadium. However, as last season proved the Hammers can often be a difficult place in which to succeed, and the loss of Dimitri Payet was a blow to their hopes of acquiring top European talent. According to reports in Italy, Sampdoria are throwing their hat in the ring. Sky Italia claim the Serie A side are offering the Gunners £6m, and Wilshere the chance to kick-start his career away from the limelight. The Genoa-based outfit certainly have their credentials, having spent 13 of the past 14 campaigns in the top-flight, entering Europe five times in that spell – including the Champions League. Those reports from the continent have seen Sampdoria leap into contention as 4/1 second favourites.

Newcastle United (6/1) and Huddersfield Town (9/1) are the other two sides shorter than 10/1, but concerns surround both sides as viable options. The other possibility for Wilshere, according to the press, is a loan move to Crystal Palace. The Eagles were close to acquiring the 25-year-old last year, only to be beaten by Bournemouth. But they remain keen under new boss Frank de Boer. Arsenal are unlikely to be impressed by a loan offering however, as it effectively means they're giving him away for nothing a year early. Whether Palace change their tune and offer up the £6m remains to be seen.

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Man City player Joe Hart's loan to West Ham - the financial breakdown
England goalkeeper is due to complete his temporary deal with the Hammers today, but who will foot his wages bill?
Manchester Evening News
BYSTUART BRENNAN
09:03, 18 JUL 2017UPDATED09:13, 18 JUL 2017

Joe Hart will not cost Manchester City a penny in wages when he plays on loan at West Ham next season … but the Blues will make a small loss on the deal. The England goalkeeper is expected to complete a temporary move to the Hammers on Tuesday, but there will be obligation for a permanent deal next year. Hart, who is not wanted by Pep Guardiola , reported back for training at City last week but was missing from the tour party which flew to Houston yesterday after t aking a train to London on Sunday. With Claudio Bravo still on holiday, Ederson is the only senior keeper on tour, backed up by youngsters Danny Grimshaw and Aro Muric. He passed his medical yesterday but some minor details in the agreement between the clubs mean his announcement as a West Ham player has been delayed by 24 hours.
City will pay around £2million of Hart's £4.5million annual salary during his season at West Ham, with the London club meeting the rest. But that £2million is covered by the cost of the loan deal, which means West Ham will pay the Blues exactly £2million for the keeper's services. City will still be obliged to pay Hart an amount for the player's image rights, but it is not thought to be close to the £2.9million claimed elsewhere. So, while City will make a small loss on loaning out a top international keeper, they hope to profit in the long run by the loan boosting his sale value next summer. City sources refused to discuss the details of the financial arrangement but confirmed that they will break even on wages. Hart has been out in the cold at City since Guardiola walked through the door last summer, and decided that he wanted a keeper who is better with his feet. The Blues brought in Bravo last summer but his failure means they have splashed out £35million for Ederson and are now looking at a deal for Napoli's former Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina. Hart spent a season on loan at Torino but his form there killed the Blues' hopes of raising a big transfer fee from his sale. Now the Blues hope that a successful season with the Hammers will restore his former market value ahead of a sale next year.

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Newcastle and Crystal Palace battle to sign West Ham keeper Adrian
Adrian is set to leave the Hammers following the arrival of England keeper Joe Hart
The Mirror
BYADRIAN KAJUMBA
15:45, 18 JUL 2017

Newcastle and Crystal Palace are considering moves for West Ham goalkeeper Adrian. The Spaniard is set to be squeezed out at the London Stadium when Joe Hart arrives on loan from Manchester City. Adrian, 30, finished the season as first choice keeper and the Hammers' activated a clause to extend his contract by two years. But boss Slaven Bilic spoke to Adrian yesterday to confirm Hart was on his way and two of West Ham's Premier League rivals are now ready to pounce.
Adrian has been told he needs to be playing regularly to stand any chance of making Spain's squad for next summer's World Cup. Newcastle missed out on Hart and also have another West Ham stopper, Darren Randolph, on their list. Palace have made space in their goalkeeping department after Steve Mandanda rejoined Marseille last week.

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Pablo Zabaleta showed in 45 minutes why he will be a brilliant signing for West Ham
The Argentine made his debut for the Hammers and looked every inch the class act
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
09:22, 18 JUL 2017

He only got 45 minutes of action against Sturm Graz II - the same as everyone else - but Pablo Zabaleta showed in that short time why he will be the perfect signing for West Ham. The 32-year-old started at his familiar position of right back as West Ham's first half side played a 4-5-1 formation and Slaven Bilic shrewdly slotted Reece Burke on the right of the two centre halves so he'd be alongside Zabaleta. Within the first few minutes, the only summer signing so far had touched the ball more than any other Hammers player and he repeatedly fed the ball to Burke to build his confidence up. Then, as the half wore on, Zabaleta became more adventurous down the right wing and started to push forward and it was midway through the half we saw something we hadn't seen for the majority of last season. The former Man City man won the ball off a Graz defender in line with the Austrian sides 18-yard-box, harassing and annoying the defender and although the ball eventually went out of play, we'd seen enough.

Luke. @ItReallyIsLuke
I like Zabaleta already
10:25 PM - 17 Jul 2017
Retweets 2 2 likes

⚒⚒⚒ @ClinicalAntonio
Replying to @ClinicalAntonio
Zabaleta didn't do anything wrong as far as I could see, our RB situation finally sorted.
9:24 PM - 17 Jul 2017
Retweets likes

Zabaleta also showed signs of frustrations with Robert Snodgrass, who struggled in the first half as his influence is already growing on the team. We know Zabaleta will accept nothing but 100 per cent from his team mates, he's used to success from his time at Man City and won't tolerate a lack of effort. Zabaleta also tried to find Nathan Holland as much as he possibly could, with the youngster no doubt keen to impress Bilic in his first 45 minutes of pre-season, though the youngster tried to do a little bit too much at times. He also chased down a mis-placed pass from Mark Noble to great effect and win the ball back, plus showed exactly how to run down the right wing as a defender should. We knew Zabaleta would be a solid signing for the Hammers who will bring a level head to proceedings on the training ground but demand perfection on it. That's exactly what he displayed on Monday evening. Sure, it was essentially a training game and the 0-0 draw reflects the somewhat walking-paced nature of the game at points, but Zabaleta stood out in the first half.

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THE HYPOCRISY OF SPURS AND DANIEL LEVY OVER £76M OF STATE AID
By Sean Whetstone 18 Jul 2017 at 08:00
WTIS

In 2011 Spurs led by Chairman Daniel Levy initiated a wave of legal challenges to seek a Judicial review of Newham's Council's £40m loan as part of a West Ham bid for the former Olympic Stadium with the aim of derailing the Hammers occupancy of the London Stadium which he had lost out on.

As each legal challenge was rejected by the courts they started a new one challenging the loan in a different way until finally, they were permitted a hearing in August 2011. Spurs later offered to withdraw their legal challenge if West Ham agreed to drop allegations of criminal conduct against them over phone hacking of Karren Brady but the Hammers refused.

In December 2013: Three investigators found guilty of illegally obtaining Karren Brady's phone records during the initial battle for the stadium. The lead investigator worked for accountants PKF, who were engaged by Spurs. The company and Spurs both denied any knowledge of illegal activities.

At a high court hearing in 2011 lawyers for Karren Brady and West Ham won an order requiring accountants PKF, hired by Spurs to conduct "due diligence" on the first bidding process for the Olympic Stadium, to hand over "unlawfully obtained" copies of Brady's itemised phone bills.

In 2013 Three men were pleaded guilty. Richard Forrest pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to obtaining personal data contrary to the Data Protection Act 1998 was fined £10,000. Lee Stewart was fined £13,250 after admitting the same charge. Howard Hill employed Spurs accountants was given a £100,000 fine.

Spurs finally agreed to withdraw their legal challenges after the initial tender process collapsed after a complaint by Architect Steve Lawrence to the European commission over potential state aid.

The legal challenges were seen by many as attempts to get more political leverage to get planning and funding to redevelop White Hart Lane.

In September 2011 the then London mayor Boris Johnson frustrated at Spurs legal threats and game playing threatened to withdraw an offer of £17 million of public support to Tottenham's new stadium development if Spurs did not commit to their stadium project in the next three weeks.

In February 2012 Spurs were permitted to go back on an obligation of £16m of funding for the community as part of its new stadium project.

The section 106 money was to be used by Haringey council for social housing, school places and other road and transport links but the club said the commitment was not viable and were allowed remove it.

At the time Richard Wilson, leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, said the council was so "desperate" to get the club's investment it had not stood up for residents and council taxpayers. He said "not a single affordable home" will now be built and yet there are 3,000 people on council waiting lists.

In 2012 Haringey Council also agreed to fund Spurs with £5m towards a podium outside the stadium and a further £3m for what they called heritage improvements.

Fast forward four years and in February 2016 the then London Mayor Boris Johnson agreed on a £18m investment in the Stadium project from a £28m fund for the Tottenham area. £3.5m was promised to improve roads around the new stadium, £8.5m on improvements to High road adjacent to the new stadium and £3.5m to improve Tottenham Hale Station to allow for increased footfall. Haringey Council also offered an additional £9m to help improve Tottenham Hale station.

This weekend a blog by 'Haringey Defend Council Housing' revealed Spurs are now asking for £30.5m to fund the podium area outside their Stadium.

Publishing slides from an official council presentation to an external auditor the blog claims the Council is to use dedicated Housing Funding to give Tottenham Hotspur Football Club £30.5 million towards the cost of a Podium (a raised public space) at its new football stadium.The blog also claims that Spurs has purchased many additional sites around the area, using its land as ransom holdings to influence Council redevelopment plans

The blog continues: "Spurs has repeatedly pressed for public subsidy for its new ground, and has pressed for exemption from planning policy on affordable housing. The new ground includes 585 new homes which are to be 0% affordable. The justification for this at the Planning Sub Committee in December 2015 was that the development costing between £675 and £750 million had an expected rate of return of just 1.2%. It was suggested at the time that further public subsidy would be required, to fill a viability funding gap which we estimated at £60 million."

"Now Haringey are planning to give Spurs £30.5 million for the podium from Housing Zone funding which has been provided by the Greater London Authority to support housing regeneration in Tottenham. The money could be borrowed at a fixed rate of 2.2% over 12 years, loading additional costs onto this huge subsidy to one of the world's richest football clubs."

"Haringey has an alternative source for part of the £30.5 million – a £23 million surplus which has been created in the cash flow for High Road West, a plan to demolish council housing opposite the Spurs Ground."

"The Slides reveal that contrary to GLA Guidance demolished social housing will not be replaced in full."

"212 rented Council dwellings at the Love Lane estate will be replaced by only 145 social rented homes, in a huge mainly private new housing development."

"Spurs have bought up 14% of the redevelopment area, and the £30.5 million subsidy is tied to Spurs being prepared to sell these 'ransom' land holdings to allow land assembly for High Road West."

"The £30.5 million subsidy proposal will need to be ratified by the Haringey Cabinet."

Source: https://haringeydefendcouncilhousingblog.wordpress.com/2017/07/14/haringey-council-to-give-30-5-million-housing-funding-to-spurs-for-its-new-stadium/

Presentation: https://haringeydefendcouncilhousingblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/audit-presentation-19th-april-2017-jw.pdf

Harrrigey Council quickly released a press statement over the weekend denying the extra £30m was in place but it is difficult for them to deny it has been proposed after the publication of the presentation.

Haringey Press Statement: http://www.haringey.gov.uk/news/response-stories-funding-given-tottenham-hotspur-football-club

Post note:

By my calculation Spurs have already benefited by over £50m of committed public funding and are now looking for a further £25.5m to take
the total subsidy to £76m!

So Where are the legal challenges and judicial reviews by outraged football clubs? Where is the public outcry from other clubs supporters?

Where is Dan Roan and his BBC documentary team to under cover this use of tax payers money?

One rule for one, and another of others. I will leave it there…

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Manchester City 'to pay £55,000-a-week towards Joe Hart's £175,000 West Ham wages'
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Manchester City will pay £55,000-a-week toward Joe Hart's wages to push through his move to West Ham. The unwanted keeper is heading to the London Stadium where he will pick up an additional £120,000-a-week to make him, by far, the best-paid Hammers player. The payment from City comes as part of his image rights deal with the club, despite not having played for them since August last year, accoriding to The Sun. Hart will sign a one-year loan deal with the east London club after completing his medical on Monday. The move has been given the seal of approval by Hammers captain Mark Noble, who knows Hart from their time on international duty. "I've known Joe for a long time, we played for England U21s together years ago," Noble told Sky Sports News HQ. "He is obviously a fantastic goalie but at the minute he is not our player. We have got two really good goalies [Adrian and Darren Randolph] here so it would be more competition for them.
"In my opinion, he [Hart] has been a little bit hard done by in recent years. He has been fantastic for England and for his club for the last 10 years and he probably deserves a little bit more respect."

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The new 'West Ham way': Transfer incompetence?
Date published: Tuesday 18th July 2017 7:45
Football 365

"It's clear to most fans that we are desperate for centre-forwards. You have to spend your money wisely but it must be on strikers, particularly strikers that have had experience with Premier League football – the very best we can afford. We have got to find the money" – David Gold.

The search, in every sense, continues. West Ham's infamous co-owners, Davids Gold and Sullivan, have a penchant for embarrassing and counter-productive public declarations. Only last May the former stated that the club "are good enough to win" the Europa League; they were knocked out in the play-off round within three months by Astra Giurgiu, who went on to finish sixth in Romania's top flight.

But this was different. This was Gold, speaking at the end of June, with a frank admission that West Ham had to do better, that another summer of posturing and then panicking would not suffice.

Considering the monumental mess that he and his colleagues helped oversee 12 months ago, the bar had hardly been lifted off the ground. The Hammers signed 13 players last summer. The three loanees have returned to their parent clubs and two more who have since departed, with another, Galatasaray-bound Sofiane Feghouli, set to join them. Of the remaining seven, only one started more than 16 Premier League games. The outlier, Manuel Lanzini, had already spent a season on loan at the club.

West Ham spent months pursuing a variety of different players, from Christian Benteke and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Carlos Bacca, Alexandre Lacazette and Jamie Vardy. They were looking to win the striker lottery, but ended up with the £1 losing scratchcard that was Simone Zaza.

Instead of learning from the harsh lessons of a subsequent Premier League relegation battle, a managerial future cast into disarray and an eventual mid-table finish, West Ham are intent on resitting the exact same exams with the exact same lack of preparation. The need for a striker has been clearly identified, but the solution remains a mystery.

Gold seemingly thought he had cracked the case three weeks ago. "We had a very difficult season because players we brought in from Europe didn't make the grade and we paid the price," he stated without doubt. "That is why we have got to bring in players with Premier League experience and that is what we are working on now."

And yet it emerged a day later that club-record bids had been rejected for two strikers. Cedric Bakambu of Villarreal has approximately zero experience of England's top flight, while Anthony Modeste's nine appearances for a relegated Blackburn side in 2012 certainly call into question the threshold of ever-important 'Premier League experience'.

Add Bakambu and Modeste to a list featuring Olivier Giroud, Martin Braithwaite, Henry Onyekuru, Michy Batshuayi and Kelechi Iheanacho of strikers the club have openly and aimlessly chased, and there is a distinct stench of déjà vu emanating from East London.

The deal for Iheanacho in particular is a bone of contention. The London Evening Standard reported two weeks ago that the club had negotiated a deal 'for more than a month and were ready to meet City's £25million valuation', yet the official line is that the move was vetoed in its final stages by manager Slaven Bilic.

Back in May, the club offered a valuable insight into how they conduct transfers. "We make sure we have six or seven, eight, nine reports on players," said Tony Henry, Director of Player Recruitment. "We then sit down with the manager, with the staff, and we go through them, and we'll have a group of let's say strikers, and we look at the one we think would be the best in that position."

Quite how West Ham, with that structure, pursued a player for a month and agreed a fee before the manager overruled the deal when it was nearing its completion would be unfathomable, were it not for a glut of similarly amateurish actions.

In that same interview, Henry added that the club "need two or three, maximum" signings. Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart are pieces of the jigsaw, but the entire middle is missing as long as the laborious search for a striker continues.

Three Premier League clubs are yet to spend any money so far this summer. Tottenham are playing a different transfer game, while Stoke have been similarly resistant to the winds of transfer change.

Along with the son of a co-owner who continues to flagrantly discuss the intricacies of ongoing negotiations on social media, it all sums up the miscommunication, mixed messages and ineptitude that have come to typify a transfer window at the London Stadium.

The 'West Ham way' is clearly no longer prioritising the development of young players; it is transfer incompetence.

Matt Stead

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The Javier Hernandez stats which will have West Ham fans drooling
HITC
Damien Lucas

West Ham United are reportedly close to signing Javier Hernandez and these stats will have fans drooling. The Hammers have made the former Manchester United striker their prime striker target as Slaven Bilic looks to add "game-changer" signings to his team. The East Londoners have signed Pablo Zabaleta on a free transfer from Manchester City and are said to be close to completing a season-long loan deal for his former teammate Joe Hart. Bilic is also keen to bring in Stoke City's Marko Arnautovic to supply Mexico's all-time top scorer Hernandez, who The Mirror claim is close to agreeing a move to the London Stadium. Hammers fans are understandably excited at the prospect of Chicarito finally ending their long search for a top quality striker. And the stats show they should be too, as they are getting one of the most potent finishers around. If Bilic does manage to land Hernandez, West Ham should finally have a player capable of getting the 20 goals a season they have craved. Hernandez has a superb goals to game record, particularly in the league and for his country. The striker was adored by Red Devils fans and it is easy to see why, as he notched 37 league goals in just 49 league starts for the club. A loan to Real Madrid saw Hernandez get less game time but he maintained his amazing ratio, notching seven goals in as many league starts. At Bayer Leverkusen he has hit 28 league goals in 45 starts to give him a total of 72 goals in just 101 league starts, a ratio of a goal every 1.4 games. Hernandez also has a record 48 goals in 96 appearances for Mexico. Even if that slips to a goal every two games for the Hammers in the increasingly competitive Premier League, West Ham fans are in for a real treat... and possibly a new hero.

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West Ham confidence on Javier Hernandez transfer growing despite Chelsea interest - report
West Ham transfer news is dominated by Javier Hernandez's potential move to the London Stadium this summer
Football London
BYTOM MARSHALL-BAILEY
07:00, 18 JUL 2017

West Ham are growing increasingly confident of securing the signing of Javier Hernandez this summer, according to reports in our sister publication Mirror Football.
The Hammers have been linked with moves for numerous strikers so far this close season, but manager Slaven Bilic appears to have settled on Hernandez as his No.1 choice for the lone striker role. Bilic is hopeful of exercising Hernandez's £13m release clause and bringing the 29-year-old to the London Stadium as the Hammers boss desperately attempts to bolster his striker options ahead of the 2017/18 season. Chelsea have also been in the hunt for a player who proved their scourge at times during his five-year spell with United and the Blues are eyeing him up as a cut-price alternative to some of their other targets, which include Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sergio Aguero. The Mexico international would favour guaranteed first-team football, however, and West Ham would be prepared to build the attack around him, something which is far from assured at Stamford Bridge. The report adds that senior Hammers officials are plotting more discussions with the Mexican's advisors though any announcement over a deal is unlikely to be made until at least the back end of this week. Olivier Giroud and Kelechi Iheanacho were just two strikers linked with moves to the Hammers earlier this summer, but the Arsenal frontman is likely to go to either Borussia Dortmund or Everton if he leaves the Gunners while Iheanacho is seemingly Leicester-bound. Hernandez's signing would add to the arrival of Joe Hart, with announcement on a transfer due imminently while the Hammers are also still exploring the possibility of signing Marko Arnautovic from Stoke City.

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Javier Hernandez to West Ham: Announcement possible by weekend, deal edging closer
WEST HAM are reportedly confident Javier Hernandez will sign from Bayer Leverkusen.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 05:30, Tue, Jul 18, 2017
Express.co.uk

The Hammers have turned their attentions to landing the Bayer Leverkusen star to solve their problems up front. Slaven Bilic has eyed an array of strikers this summer, but Hernandez now looks the most likely arrival. West Ham will meet his £13million buy-out clause and are willing to make the 29-year-old their highest-paid player. Chelsea are also interested in the former Manchester United goalscorer. But according to the Mirror, West Ham hope to finalise a move and are closer to securing Chicharito's services. The Hammers believe Hernandez will be playing at the London Stadium this season. And senior club officials are set for more talks with his advisors, which are expected today. An agreement is edging nearer to bring the Mexico international back to the Premier League where he has unfinished business. Following a two-year stint in Germany, Leverkusen are resigned to losing Hernandez, who is set to follow Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart to east London. The Mirror add an announcement is not imminent but could happen by the end of the week. A move for Stoke winger Marko Arnautovic is still being pursued too as Slaven Bilic looks to strengthen his attack. Should they land Hernandez, West Ham may even try to add another striker later in the window, with Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi still wanted. Meanwhile, Hart has passed his medical with his loan announcement expected today, and former Hammers midfielder Jack Collison has confirmed he is returning to the club as Under-14s and Under-16s head coach.

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West Ham move step closer to agreeing big money move for former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez
Slaven Bilic is keen to bring in a big name forward and hopes to win the race to sign the prolific forward from Bayer Leverkusen
The Mirror
BYMARC ISAACS
18:52, 17 JUL 2017UPDATED18:55, 17 JUL 2017

West Ham hope to finalise a move for Javier Hernandez as the former Manchester United striker moves a step closer to making a big money move back to the Premier League. Hernandez has been strongly linked with a move to the Hammers as Slaven Bilic looks to bring in a big name forward during the summer.
The former United star has a £13million release clause in his contract with Bayer Leverkusen and the Hammers are willing to make him the highest paid player at the club, even though Chelsea are also in the market to clinch his signature. The Mexico international still has unfinished business in the Premier League following his memorable five-year spell at Old Trafford where he became a fans favourite at Old Trafford. The Hammers remain confident that Hernandez will be playing at London Stadium next season and senior officials are planning more talks with his advisors. Mirror sources suggest a deal for the former United and Real Madrid forward is edging closer, but any announcement is not expected until the end of the week. West Ham have been linked with a number of high profile forwards during the summer including Olivier Giroud and Manchester City's Kelechi Iheanacho. But it now appears that Hernandez will follow in the footsteps of Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart and become the third major signing of the summer for the east London club.

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