By Patrick Haond - Created on 15 Jun 2007
Reports in France claim West Ham narrowly missed out on signing France
goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, before his decision to sign a new deal with Lyon.
Coupet had been considering pursuing a new challenge abroad after Lyon's
sixth title victory in succession, but he committed his future to the club
on Wednesday by signing a new three-year contract. Now sources in France
claim that The Hammers had been in contention to bring the 34-year-old to
Upton Park before he eventually closed the door to a foreign adventure.
Coupet himself has admitted he was tempted by one offer he received from a
club outside France. "Last weekend I was leaving," said Coupet in France
Football. "I believe my officials understood it. "I had a proposition from a
foreign club and I was tempted by that experience, even if it would have
been less prestigious than l'OL. "It was an opportunity to discover a new
league, a new world. "Sometimes, it is almost easier to leave than to stay."
Roy Carroll has been linked with an exit from West Ham this summer, but the
London club already boast England international Robert Green, who was in
tremendous form towards the end of the Premier League season.
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More Enquiry Grief For West Ham - West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 15 June, 2007 - 15:05.
The report by Lord Stevens into bungs and illegal payments took a surprising
but not unexpected turn today when Israeli super agent Pini Zahavi was among
those named for 'not complying' with the enquiries made by the ex-chief
policeman. Zahavi has worked with Manchester United, Chelsea and West Ham,
he was instrumental not only in bringing Yossi Benayoun to the club but more
importantly he received a huge fee for arranging and facilitating the
arrival of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano at the Boleyn.
Lord Stevens named all but one of the transfers that he was not prepared to
write up as above board and what's the betting it will be either Tevez or
Mascherano? Without being an expert in legalese it seems quite obvious that
the name of the player was withheld pending the meeting of the arbitration
panel set for the 18/19th of June.
Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson would be tearing his hair out if he had
any! no sooner does the club look to have put the distraction of the points
and relegation issue behind them when another source of trouble erupts. It
is very unlikely that any wrong doing could be connected to the the club,
but there will be the 'guilt by association' snide stories that are so
beloved of the Press, particularly the Mail..
Expect to see plenty of lurid stories appearing over the next few days..the
good thing is that the European commission have already stated that they
will not reverse the Premier Leagues original decision to hand out a record
fine and not to deduct points for the irregularities in the paperwork for
Tevez and Mascherano.
It was worth having to sift through the findings, it was even better to hear
Barry Silkman lose his rag on SSN, it was a real 'Keegan' moment. - Ed
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Premier League Rumour Mill: Wright-Phillips next on the West Ham hitlist -
Daily Mail
Last updated at 10:59am on 15th June 2007
West Ham are set to turn their attentions back to £12m Chelsea winger Shaun
Wright-Phillips after Darren Bent rejected a £17m switch to Upton Park.
However, the Hammers hope that Wright-Phillips, who remains on their
shortlist of targets, will still be swayed by their ambition after they
persuaded Scott Parker to join from Newcastle. Wright-Phillips turned down
the chance to move to east London in January after boss Alan Curbishley had
a bid - believed to be around £12m - accepted. Blues boss Jose Mourinho is
thought to have been against the sale, even though chances have been few and
far between for the man who cost the Blues £21m two years ago. And
Wright-Phillips, 25, is believed to be keen to stay and fight for his place.
But reports suggest West Ham are hoping they can put together a financial
package attractive enough to land the England winger, who scored twice
against them in their 4-1 defeat at Upton Park. Hammers chairman Eggert
Magnusson last night protested that the club were not dishing out the
monster money in wages that has leaked out of the club this week. But
privately West Ham are willing to do whatever it takes to bag their targets.
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Bent: West Ham nightmare! - addickted.net
By Floyd
Friday 15th June 2007
Darren Bent has snubbed a £17million move to West Ham, stating that working
with former boss Alan Curbishley would be his worst nightmare. The striker
returned from holiday and spent yesterday in talks with West Ham chairman
Eggert Magnusson. Bent, last night conceded that he does not want to work
with Hammers boss Alan Curbishley.
A close friend also stated last night that Darren is not in it for the money
and just wants to continue to play football even if that means staying with
Charlton in the Championship - whilst also suggesting that working with
Curbishley would be "his worst nightmare".
As reported here yesterday, Tottenham are still his chosen destination;
however, with Charlton still wanting £15m, Spurs may find it difficult to
raise those sort of funds. West Ham have been left embarrassed by this
newest snub and Magnusson admitted: "There is no better club for him than
West Ham." - sorry Egghead, last season proved there were 14 teams "better"
than your lot!
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Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs line up as £17m Darren Bent spots the dangers at
West Ham - Sportigo
Fri, Jun 15, 07 08:04
Mark Apostolou
He's the hottest property on the market right now, but has the Charlton
striker found a tastier fish to fry than West Ham? 'Spurs have a packed
strike force as it is, but Darren Bent arguably has a lot more to offer than
Robbie Keane and to greater extent Jermain Defoe' So Darren Bent changed his
mind, but why? Apparently the ink was dry on a £17m deal (which, by the way,
seems way, way over the odds) taking him from Charlton to West Ham, but at
the last minute the 23-year-old Cambridge-born striker pulled the plug on
the move. What were his reasons?
Reason number one, I feel, must have been the very real prospect that West
Ham United will be demoted to the Championship next week when the court of
arbitration makes its long-awaited decision on whether the punishment fitted
the crime regarding the Tevez-Mascherano saga.
There would be little point in the highly-rated front man switching from
South to East London only to be playing at places like Scunthorpe instead of
Manchester. Demotion would also more than likely lead to a mass exodus from
West Ham, which would further hamper chances for an immediate return to the
top flight.
Alternatively, he may received a last-minute phone call from Spurs and
decided that life at White Hart Lane offered a whole lot more to a player
whose Premiership credentials are undeniable. His 31 goals in 68 top flight
games is quite a record and is even more impressive if you consider those
goals were scored in two lean seasons for Charlton Athletic. Think what he
could do at a resurgent Spurs!
Spurs have a packed strike force as it is, but Darren Bent actually brings a
fourth different type of striker option for Martin Jol. Darren Bent is a
pure box finisher both on the ground and in the air, he also runs into
channels with regularity and can play as a single striker. The price, as I
mentioned earlier, is thought to be in the region of £15-20m which, at first
sight, seems steep. But given his age and proven potential, Bent may be too
good a target for Martin Jol to ignore. Whether or not all four strikers
will stay happy, is another story.
A third, and perhaps more intriguing, possibility is that a third party has
come in at the last minute and attracted Bent's attention. Maybe Chelsea or
Arsenal are planning a surprise swoop? I could see Bent fitting in at the
Emirates. In my opinion he is exactly what they need, a fresh canvas for
Wenger to paint on and the kind of player to keep the Gunners fans happy
should Thierry Henry take the much anticipated road out of North London. A
proper finisher to tuck away the 900 chances that were spurned every time
Arsenal took to the pitch last season.
Whoever Darren Bent joins, and he will certainly be leaving The Valley.
Sorry Charlton fans, it's a done deal. But Bent stands to be the next big
thing. He's a big fish in a small pond who is ready to put his ability and
skills test in one of the game's larger oceans.
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Hammer blow as Bent turns down move - EADT.co.uk
15 June 2007 | 09:00
ELVIN KING
CHARLTON confirmed last night that Darren Bent had turned down a move to
West Ham. The 23-year-old England striker had been expected to sign for the
Hammers today after the two clubs agreed a fee for the player. Charlton were
to receive £16million plus Hayden Mullins for the 23-year-old England
international - with Ipswich Town due to receive £2.8million thanks to the
sell-on clause when Bent left Portman Road for The Valley for £2.5million
two years ago. But after negotiations with the Hammers, the striker has
rejected a switch to Upton Park and the chance to be reunited with the man
who brought him to The Valley in 2004, current Hammers boss Alan Curbishley.
Charlton chief executive Peter Varney told his club's official website,
www.cafc.co.uk: "We set a valuation for Darren and West Ham were the only
club prepared to meet that valuation. "This morning we gave them permission
to speak to Darren, which he did, and he has decided not to join West Ham.
"We therefore look forward to Darren starting with us in the Championship
next season, which is a massive boost to our chance of returning to the
Premier League."
However, Tottenham may have other ideas, having expressed an interest in the
former Ipswich striker. If he does make a big-money move back to the
Premiership the extra cash would enable Ipswich to complete the signing of
striker Francis Jeffers. Blues boss Jim Magilton is adamant he wants
26-year-old Jeffers leading his attack next season, but felt Blackburn
Rovers' £1million valuation was more than Town could afford.
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Reds eye double swoop - Clubcall
20070615 08:43
Liverpool have confirmed they want West Ham star Yossi Benayoun while Rafa
Benitez is said to be preparing a fresh bid for Darren Bent. The Reds were
linked with a cut-price swoop for Israeli international Benayoun yesterday -
a story that was later confirmed by chief executive Rick Parry although he
insisted talk of a £1million deal was wide of the mark. The Hammers were
said to be 'insulted' at what they viewed as an insufficient bid for one of
their most talented players, who is now stalling on a new deal at Upton Park
following news of the Reds' interest. Parry said: "I can confirm we have
made an approach for Yossi Benayoun, but the figures quoted are completely
wrong. Other than that we don't want to say any more." It is thought a deal
in the region of £3million may be enough to land the attacking midfielder
although a cash-plus-player deal involving striker Craig Bellamy is also a
distinct possibility.
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Wright-Phillips on Hammers radar - Clubcall
20070615 08:43
West Ham are set to make a renewed bid to sign Chelsea star Shaun
Wright-Phillips after Darren Bent snubbed a move to Upton Park. The Hammers
were confident they had landed Bent from Charlton for around £14million but
the England striker last night turned down a reported £75,000-a-week deal to
instead hold out for a move to either Liverpool or Tottenham. That has
prompted Alan Curbishley to now look at other options as he looks to improve
his forward line, with Wright-Phillips said to be his number one target.
The former Manchester City winger wants to stay and fight for his place at
Stamford Bridge but remains down Jose Mourinho's pecking order and may
consider a switch across London if he can be guaranteed regular first-team
action.
The Hammers made an enquiry for the 25-year-old in the January transfer
window but failed to land him then as Mourinho wanted the winger to stay and
help with the Blues' title bid.
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Spurs on alert after Bent snubs Hammers - metro.co.uk
Friday, June 15, 2007
Tottenham have moved into pole position in the hunt for Charlton striker
Darren Bent after the Coca-Cola Championship new boys confirmed last night
he had rejected a move to West Ham. The 23-year-old England striker was
expected to sign for the Hammers tomorrow after the two clubs agreed a fee
for the player. Charlton were to receive £16million plus Hayden Mullins for
the 23-year-old England international, who has top-scored for Charlton for
the past two Premiership campaigns. But after negotiations with the Hammers,
the striker has rejected a switch to Upton Park and the chance to be
reunited with the man who brought him to The Valley in 2004, current Hammers
boss Alan Curbishley. Charlton chief executive Peter Varney told his club's
official website, www.cafc.co.uk: 'We set a valuation for Darren and West
Ham were the only club prepared to meet that valuation. 'This morning we
gave them permission to speak to Darren, which he did, and he has decided
not to join West Ham. 'We therefore look forward to Darren starting with us
in the Championship next season, which is a massive boost to our chance of
returning to the Premier League.' A West Ham spokesman confirmed the deal
was not moving forward, adding: 'A fee had been agreed between West Ham and
Charlton but it was not possible to reach an agreement with the player.
'West Ham have been considering a number of options in terms of a new
striker for the club and will now be pursuing alternatives.' Despite
Varney's optimism, however, Bent's rejection of West Ham is most likely to
signal a move elsewhere, with Martin Jol's Spurs having already registered
their interest. Varney's statement appears to suggest that the north
Londoners are yet to meet Charlton's asking price for the former Ipswich
frontman, but that is a situation which could soon change.
And if Bent digs in his heels over a move away from The Valley, it is hard
to see how Charlton could prevent a move for a man still harbouring
international ambitions.
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Attraction of Spurs move too great - all3points.com
15th June 2007
By Staff Writer
Spurs publicised interest in Charlton striker Darren Bent has led to the
player turning down a move to West Ham United. West Ham remain the only club
to have agreed a fee with Charlton, rumoured to be around £14 million, but
Spurs now look favourites to capture his signature. Bent met West Ham
representatives yesterday for talks but emerged saying that he would not be
joining the club with rumours suggesting that the young striker wants a move
to White Hart Lane. Reports this morning claim Spurs will now formalise
their interest in Bent in the next few days but the north Londoners could
face some late competition from Liverpool who have also been monitoring the
situation.
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