WHUFC.com
CEO Scott Duxbury has reiterated the club's position ahead of the new season
starting this Saturday
10.08.2009
West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury has said the club's transfer policy
remains unchanged in spite of recent media speculation concerning Straumur.
Having spoken on Friday about the club's efforts to bring in new recruits
and the summer so far, the CEO said there had been no change to the plan to
continue to invest in Gianfranco Zola's squad for the 2009/10 season and
beyond. Duxbury said: "The club's position today remains the same as it was
last week or as it was in January. There is no question of Straumur forcing
us to sell anyone - in fact we are actively looking for new players. "The
papers are unsurprisingly full of speculation at this time of year but the
situation is clear. The only way a player would be allowed to leave is if
Gianfranco thinks it is in the best interests of the squad as a whole and it
is right for the club. It is as simple as that."
Non-Executive Chairman Andrew Bernhardt said: "As I said earlier in the
summer, the club is on a sound financial footing and Straumur creditor
meetings have no bearing on the operations of West Ham United. This remains
unchanged. "We fully support Scott and Gianfranco and endorse their
continued efforts in strengthening the squad as quickly as possible, with a
new striker their top priority. We are looking forward to a great season."
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City baulk at Hammers demands
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 11th August 2009
By: Staff Writer
Manchester City are said to have dropped their interest in Matthew Upson
having refused to meet West Ham's asking price. According to morning reports
in the Express and Independent, City - already frustrated by their failure
to land their main target, Everton's Joleon Lescott - have now turned their
attention to Portsmouth centre half Sylvain Distin after the Hammers
demanded £15million for the England defender. It was suggested yesterday
that a deal to take Upson to Manchester was on the verge of completion,
whilst Hammers CEO Scott Duxbury admitted in a statement posted on whufc.com
last night that player sales during the current transfer window were still a
possibility - but only if "Gianfranco [Zola] thinks it is in the best
interests of the squad as a whole and it is right for the club."
The former Birmingham City captain - who joined United in January 2007 - is
yet to agree a new contract despite having held negotiations with the club
earlier in the year. With less than two years remaining on his current
arrangement, the club may feel that cashing in on 30-year-old Upson now
would free vital funds with which to improve other areas of the squad.
* An article by Rob Draper in the Mail claiming that Upson's sale had been
ordered by the club's owners CB Holdings was denied by Duxbury, who said:
"The club's position today remains the same as it was last week or as it was
in January. There is no question of Straumur forcing us to sell anyone - in
fact we are actively looking for new players. "The papers are unsurprisingly
full of speculation at this time of year - but the situation is clear."
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Kovac returns
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 10th August 2009
By: Staff Writer
Radoslav Kovac has returned to West Ham on a permanent basis, according to
reports emerging from Russia. The Czech midfieder spent four months on loan
with the Hammers last season but with his former club Spartak demanding
around £4million seemed destined never to play for United again. However
with the Hammers failing to land main summer targets such as Inter's Mancini
- and with Matthew Upson widely tipped to leave the club in the near future
- attention returned to the 30-year-old, who is reported to have signed a
permanent contract earlier today. Kovac first arrived in East London at the
end of January but struggled initially to adapt to the pace of the Premier
League. However he went on to play a major role for Gianfranco Zola in the
closing weeks of the season whilst scoring the Goal of the Season runner-up
at Everton in May. West Ham United will await the successful completion of a
medical before announcing the news; the fee involved is undisclosed.
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Hammers rule out sales
Zola encouraged to buy, not sell
By Chris Burton Last updated: 10th August 2009
SSN
West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury insists the club are under no
pressure to sell players. The Hammers were dealt a financial blow towards
the end of last season as the global credit crunch began to bite. New owners
were brought in to help steady the ship, with Icelandic investment bank
Straumur taking the helm. However, they have troubles of their own and
reports have suggested that West Ham will need to offload some of their most
saleable assets in order to balance the books. Duxbury, though, insists that
is not the case, claiming manager Gianfranco Zola is actually being
encouraged to identify potential new recruits, not prepare for departures.
He told the club's official website: "The club's position today remains the
same as it was last week or it was in January. There is no question of
Straumur forcing us to sell anyone - in fact we are actively looking for new
players. "The papers are unsurprisingly full of speculation at this time of
year but the situation is clear. The only way a player would be allowed to
leave is if Gianfranco thinks it is in the best interests of the squad as a
whole and it is right for the club. It is as simple as that."
Non-executive chairman Andrew Bernhardt added: "As I said earlier in the
summer, the club is on a sound financial footing and Straumur creditor
meetings have no bearing on the operations of West Ham United. This remains
unchanged. "We fully support Scott and Gianfranco and endorse their
continued efforts in strengthening the squad as quickly as possible, with a
new striker their top priority. We are looking forward to a great season."
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Hammers lead Kovac chase
Midfielder's agent claims West Ham are 'priority'
By Vasek Kadlec Last updated: 10th August 2009
SSN
West Ham United are in pole position to sign Radoslav Kovac on a long-term
contract, according to the midfielder's agent. The Czech Republic
international arrived at Upton Park on loan from Spartak Moscow in January
and impressed for the Hammers. Kovac's temporary stay ended in June and
Gianfranco Zola was interested in securing a permanent deal, but he was not
prepared to pay a reported fee of £3.4million. However, the 29-year-old's
representative, Pavel Zika, now claims that West Ham are leading a host of
clubs in the pursuit of a deal. "There has been interest in Radek from
different clubs and countries, but West Ham have been the priority," Zika
told CTK.
The defence-minded Kovac has also been rumoured to be a target of Blackburn
Rovers, Hull City and Fenerbahce.
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West Ham defender Matthew Upson opens door to Manchester City move
Matthew Upson has given Manchester City hope that he may still join them
after rejecting the opportunity to discuss a contract extension at West Ham
United.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt and Mark Ogden
Published: 7:00AM BST 11 Aug 2009
However, the two clubs are far apart in their valuation of the defender –
West Ham want at least £15 million while City have indicated they will offer
no more than £10m – which has opened the way for Sylvain Distin to return to
Eastlands. Distin is expected to leave Portsmouth before the close of the
transfer window and is also attracting interest from Liverpool. City are
prepared to offer £6m for the Frenchman, who left two years ago on a Bosman
free transfer, and hope to have him installed at the heart of their defence
for Saturday's Premier League opening fixture at Blackburn Rovers.
Chelsea to offer John Terry new contractWith Kolo Toure doubtful for the
Blackburn game with a hip injury, Micah Richards still overcoming the
effects of swine flu and England Under-21 defender Nedum Onuoha troubled by
a thigh injury, City manager Mark Hughes is concerned by his lack of
defensive options. City's lengthy pursuit of Joleon Lescott continues, with
prospects of a deal now 50-50. City have been encouraged that Everton might
accept a bid in excess of £22m but the two clubs remain unable to strike a
deal.
Everton manager David Moyes has made it clear to Lescott that he will not be
sold and City have turned their attentions elsewhere. City enquired about
Upson at the end of last season but were given little encouragement by West
Ham. No bid was made but after City's failure to sign John Terry and
Lescott, they have turned again to Upson, who has since told West Ham that
he has no intention of entering into talks over a three-year extension to
his contract at Upton Park. The 30 year-old has two years left on his deal
and told West Ham last season that he was keen to leave should a club in the
Champions League, or with immediate Champions League ambitions, bid for him.
West Ham insist there is no pressure to sell the player and would prefer to
part with other fringe members of their squad, such as Calum Davenport and
Julien Faubert, as they continue to try to balance the books. However with
Upson refusing to consider a new deal, and given the player's age, they may
be tempted to cash in. However the club have stated that the final decision
rests with Gianfranco Zola, who has cover in the centre of defence but may
deem Upson too valuable to be allowed to leave. Both Upson and Lescott are
in the England squad for tomorrow's friendly away to Holland. West Ham
bracket Upson as being worthy of a similar fee to what City offered for
Lescott.
However, if Upson were sold it would add to the pressure on the club, and
raise further doubt over the state of the finances. West Ham insist they are
in a stronger position than critics have been suggested and are actively
pursuing a number of transfer targets. Discussions are ongoing with
Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen and Bayern Munich's Luca Toni, while other
strikers are being discussed as Zola seeks to improve his squad. The Italian
has completed the signing of Czech international Radoslav Kovac from Spartak
Moscow on a permanent deal. The 29 year-old has signed for an undisclosed
fee, thought to be around £2m – half of what Spartak were originally
demanding.
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Manchester City can seal Matthew Upson deal with £15m bid• West Ham will
accept offer for centre-half
England international wants European football
David Hytner
guardian.co.uk, Monday 10 August 2009 22.04 BST
Manchester City will encounter little resistance from West Ham United if
they follow up their interest in Matthew Upson with a bid of around £15m.
West Ham have not been able to give their manager, Gianfranco Zola, a large
transfer float this summer, but equally do not have to sell players.
However, they are conscious that Upson, at the age of 30 and with two years
to run on his contract, would be unlikely to command an eight-figure fee
again, particularly as there has been little inclination from either the
club or the player to extend his deal at Upton Park.
Upson, who is with the England squad for Wednesday's friendly against
Holland, has made little secret of his desire to play European football,
preferably in the Champions League, saying it was something he needed at
this stage of his career. The opportunity to join the ambitious project at
Eastlands would appeal to him. He is also keen to further his chances of
making Fabio Capello's England squad for the World Cup finals next summer.
City are believed to be ready to pay £12m for him, with a further £3m in
add-ons, after growing frustrated in their pursuit of the Everton central
defender Joleon Lescott. Everton have stood firm in the face of a series of
inquiries from City, the latest containing a £19m bid, and Mark Hughes, the
City manager, is prepared to move on to the next name on his list of
targets.
Hughes has spent £94m this summer, £15m of it on Kolo Toure, the centre-half
from Arsenal, but he feels that his team still needs strengthening in
defence, where he wants to replace Richard Dunne, the club captain and
four-times player of the year. City failed earlier in the summer with an
audacious and extravagant move for the Chelsea and England centre-half and
captain John Terry.
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City look to Distin after balking at £15m for Upson
By Ian Herbert
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Independent.co.uk
Manchester City are ready to move to bring their former captain Sylvain
Distin back to the club, as West Ham's demands for Matthew Upson's services
are proving higher than the Premier League's big spenders are willing to
pay.
A conversation between Everton chairman Bill Kenwright and City executive
chairman Garry Cook on Friday evening has made City less optimistic than
ever that a third bid for their preferred central defender – Joleon Lescott
– would be worthwhile and though Upson has always been third in line after
Lescott and John Terry, the figure of £13m – rising to £15m – which West Ham
would expect for the England international is well above Cook's valuation.
City have persistently said that they are unwilling to pay the kind of
inflated figure, known as a "City price", for players.
That leaves Mark Hughes contemplating a move for Distin, who headed for
Portsmouth under a cloud shortly before Sven Goran Eriksson arrived in the
summer of 2007, when City had just finished four points off the relegation
zone and, to the Frenchman's mind, were going backwards. Distin, a
left-sided centre-half like Lescott, would be a popular signing among many
City fans – with the prevailing view among most being that he and Richard
Dunne were the individuals who saved City from relegation on more than one
occasion during the managerial days of Kevin Keegan and Stuart Pearce.
City might have their work cut out enticing the £3m-valued Distin back.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been interested for some time in
signing a player who is understood to be also on Aston Villa's radar. Distin
appears to be a far more likely target than Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross for
Benitez, though he would also seem to have more chance of regular football
at City than at Anfield, where he would be a fourth choice behind Jamie
Carragher, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel. The 31-year-old's empathy with a
club for whom he played 178 times and was captain for three years until 2006
may play in City's favour and would outweigh the abuse he received from a
small contingent of City fans during matches with Portsmouth. The player's
arrival would probably presage the end of Dunne's nine-year City career,
with Sunderland his most likely destination.
Wales manager John Toshack was angered to find that City "forgot" to inform
the Football Association of Wales that his captain Craig Bellamy was not fit
for the trip to Montenegro for tomorrow's match. Toshack needed to have the
situation explained to him on arrival at Podgorica Airport yesterday
afternoon, having left Cardiff on an early-morning flight with the rest of
his squad.
Hughes had cast doubt over Bellamy's involvement in the Montenegro match
last week and Wales were half expecting a problem. City, who acknowledged
Wales should have been notified before yesterday, said Bellamy had suffered
a reaction to a knee injury during Saturday's friendly win over Celtic.
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UPSON'S FEE OVER MARK
Daily Express
Tuesday August 11,2009
By Richard Tanner Have your say(0)
MARK Hughes met with more frustration in his search for a new central
defender after he refused to pay West Ham's £15million asking price for
Matthew Upson. After failing to land Chelsea captain John Terry and
Everton's Joleon Lescott, Manchester City boss Hughes turned to another
England defender, Upson, only to discover the Hammers' valuation of him was
about £5m more than his. Despite the vast financial resources of the club's
Abu Dhabi owners, Hughes believes the £15m fee was too much for a
30-year-old. Now he is ready to try to bring back Sylvain Distin .
Frenchman Distin, 31, left the club on a free transfer two years ago, but
Hughes believes that Portsmouth could be tempted by a £6m bid.
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West Ham United's Matthew Upson In Favour Of Move To Manchester City –
Report
The defender has reportedly rejected talks of a new contract with the
Hammers, thereby opening the door to a prospective transfer...
11 Aug 2009 07:58:02
West Ham United defender Matthew Upson may be pushing his way closer to a
move to Manchester City, reportedly rejecting talks over extending his
contract with the Hammers. Upson has remained a target for the Citizens,
though Joleon Lescott's move to Eastlands is gathering pace, with the
defender being rumoured to be on the verge of handing in a written transfer
request to his bosses at Everton. According to a report in The Telegraph,
the Sky Blues are believed to be offering no more than £10 million for the
services of Upson, while the Irons are holding out for £15m. A rejection of
a contract extension may not necessarily bring down the asking price as
Upson still has over two years left to run on his current term with West
Ham. However, West Ham's Academy of Football is reported to be in financial
trouble, and so the Hammers may decide to cash in on the Manchester
millions. With Kolo Toure on the sidelines nursing a hip injury and Nedum
Onuoha in the clinic with a thigh problem, Mark Hughes is said to be
weighing up his options and considering a bid to land another defender in
addition to Lescott. Should there be a disagreement over Upson's price, the
Citizens are said to have cast an eye on Portsmouth's Sylvain Distin as an
alternative. Meanwhile, West Ham have stated that the final decision as to
whether Upson leaves or not is in the hands of manager Gianfranco Zola.
Adithya Ananth, Goal.com
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West Ham Keen To Resolve Eidur Gudjohnsen Transfer Saga
The Premier League side want to bring their efforts to land the midfielder
to a swift conclusion...
10 Aug 2009 19:30:26
Reports from the English press suggest that West Ham are desperate to add
Barcelona utility-man Eidur Gudjohnsen to the squad before their season
opener against Wolves this coming Saturday (August 15). The Icelandic
international has looked set to move on from the Camp Nou this summer after
being on the periphery of the first team for the majority of last season. So
far, however, the former Chelsea man remains part of Pep Guardiola's squad
in their pre-season preparations and, despite interest from both England and
France, Gudjohnsen has yet to negotiate his exit from Catalonia. The Daily
Mail comments that Hammers' boss Gianfranco Zola is keen to add experience
to his youthful squad, but while there are transfer funds available to bring
the midfielder to Upton Park, the player's wage demands could scupper any
potential move. The English newspaper also reports that West Ham have also
been linked with a loan move for Inter striker Mario Balotelli, but face
competition from Russian side Zenit St. Petersburg for the highly-rated
youngster.
Paul Macdonald, Goal.com
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Kovac completes West Ham move
Reuters - Yesterday, 14:59
MOSCOW - Czech international midfielder Radoslav Kovac has joined English
Premier League club West Ham United from Spartak Moscow on a permanent
basis, the Russian Premier League side said on Monday. "Today Kovac joined
London club West Ham," Spartak said on their website, without providing
further details. The 29-year-old played four seasons for Spartak before
being loaned to West Ham for the second part of last season.
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West Ham close in on Eidur Gudjohnsen signing but Russians bid to scupper
swoop for super Mario Balotelli
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 6:25 PM on 10th August 2009
Daily Mail
West Ham are keen to bring their protracted pursuit of Barcelona's Eidur
Gudjohnsen to a conclusion. The Hammers remain hopeful of signing the former
Chelsea striker, although the Iceland international's wage demands are a
major stumbling block. Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli, who Upton Park
boss Gianfranco Zola would like to sign on loan, has been linked with a
permanent transfer to Zenit St Petersburg.
Reports on the Continent say the Russian giants will offer almost £13million
for the 18-year-old Italy Under 21 international. Zola admits he is keen to
add to the squad before the Barclays Premier League opener at Wolverhampton
Wanderers on Saturday, but also expects further joy from the West Ham
production line. 'This club is a club that wants to get good players and
climb the table but we always leave an open door for the young players
coming through too,' said the Italian. 'Last year, it was a case of Junior
Stanislas, James Tomkins and Jack Collison and hopefully there will be some
more players coming through.'
Napoli spoiled the party in West Ham's final match of pre-season with a 1-0
win at Upton Park on Saturday. Italy international Fabio Quagliarella's
brilliant header with 12 minutes remaining was enough to lift the Bobby
Moore Cup as 21,364 fans turned up for the opening of the new Sir Trevor
Brooking Stand. The match raised £42,728 for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer
Research UK.
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West Ham struggle to agree personal terms with Barcelona's Gudjohnsen
11.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United want to close a deal for Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.
The Daily Mail says West Ham are keen to bring their protracted pursuit of
Gudjohnsen to a conclusion. The Hammers remain hopeful of signing the former
Chelsea striker, although the Iceland international's wage demands are a
major stumbling block.
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Noble impressed by new West Ham teammate Jimenez
11.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
Mark Noble is impressed by West Ham's new signing Luis Jimenez. The England
U21 midfielder told whufc.com: "I am enjoying playing with him. "He is a
really good player, very clever and where we like to play football, do
little passes and exchanges, he is really good on the ball with all of that.
I think you will see really good things from him this season."
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West Ham deny reports of forced player sales
11.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United deny claims they will be forced to sell players because of
problems with Straumur. CEO Scott Duxbury said: "The club's position today
remains the same as it was last week or as it was in January. There is no
question of Straumur forcing us to sell anyone - in fact we are actively
looking for new players. "The papers are unsurprisingly full of speculation
at this time of year but the situation is clear. The only way a player would
be allowed to leave is if Gianfranco thinks it is in the best interests of
the squad as a whole and it is right for the club. It is as simple as that."
Non-Executive Chairman Andrew Bernhardt also told whufc.com: "As I said
earlier in the summer, the club is on a sound financial footing and Straumur
creditor meetings have no bearing on the operations of West Ham United. This
remains unchanged. "We fully support Scott and Gianfranco and endorse their
continued efforts in strengthening the squad as quickly as possible, with a
new striker their top priority. We are looking forward to a great season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola expects more West Ham youngsters to make grade
11.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola expects more youngsters to breakthrough
this season. He told whufc.com: "We have a couple of players who are doing
very well and might get a chance in the future. It depends how the season
will go if they will have opportunities. "This club is a club that wants to
get good players and climb the table but we always leave an open door for
the young players coming through too. Last year, it was a case of Junior
Stanislas, James Tomkins and Jack Collison and hopefully there will be some
more players coming through."
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West Ham boss Zola delighted with Cole preseason form
11.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola is delighted with the preseason form of
Carlton Cole. Zola told whufc.com: "Carlton Cole is no surprise for me any
more. For me some of the bits that he does are unbelievable. A bit in the
first half near the corner flag was a piece of skill that not many players
can do. "Carlton Cole is improving day-by-day his presence and his
confidence. He was exceptional and I was very pleased with his performance."
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Financial position not forcing West Ham to sell players
11.08.09 | Andrew Slevison
West Ham United will not be forced to sell players despite still being in
financial trouble. Chief executive Scott Duxbury has revealed that the new
owners of the club, Icelandic bank Straumur, have not put pressure on
manager Gianfranco Zola to offload players in order to recoup some cash.
"The club's position today remains the same as it was last week or it was in
January. There is no question of Straumur forcing us to sell anyone - in
fact we are actively looking for new players," Duxbury told the club's
official website. "The papers are unsurprisingly full of speculation at this
time of year but the situation is clear. The only way a player would be
allowed to leave is if Gianfranco thinks it is in the best interests of the
squad as a whole and it is right for the club. It is as simple as that."
Non-executive chairman Andrew Bernhardt added: "As I said earlier in the
summer, the club is on a sound financial footing and Straumur creditor
meetings have no bearing on the operations of West Ham United. This remains
unchanged. "We fully support Scott and Gianfranco and endorse their
continued efforts in strengthening the squad as quickly as possible, with a
new striker their top priority. We are looking forward to a great season."
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