Filed: Wednesday, 30th July 2008
By: Staff Writer
Stories linking Yossi Benayoun with a return to the Boleyn Ground have been
dismissed by a club insider. Several papers carry a story today claiming
that Israeli international Benayoun is in line for a return to East London
just 12 months after joining Liverpool. However a club source has dismissed
the rumour, adding that Benayoun is not currently in Alan Curbishley's
thoughts - despite stories claiming that the Hammers had made tentative
enquiries as to the 28-year-old midfielder's availability. Liverpool boss
Rafa Benitez said last night: "We're still trying to sign the players we
need and if we need to sell someone, we will."
Meanwhile Benayoun's agent Ronan Katzav told SkySports this morning: There
has been no contact or talks with any club about Yossi. "All summer there
has been speculation but he has a contract with Liverpool. I don't believe
they want to sell Yossi and he is just concentrating on life at Liverpool.
"It is nice that everybody is interested in Yossi, but from our point of
view he is only thinking about Liverpool."
Benayoun left East London under a cloud after reneging on an agreement to
sign a new five-year deal once Liverpool's interest became apparent. As a
result he was booed constantly on his return to Upton Park last season.
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Curbs hails 'new signing' Bellamy - SSN
West Ham boss praises striker
Last updated: 30th July 2008
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has hailed the return to fitness of Craig
Bellamy as 'like a new signing'. Bellamy continued his impressive return to
form and fitness with two goals in Tuesday's friendly win over Peterborough.
The Welshman endured a miserable first season at Upton Park with injuries
restricting him to just nine games for the Hammers. Curbishley is delighted
have Bellamy back firing on all cylinders ahead of the start of the new
season.
"He has been working ever so hard," Curbishley told Sky Sports News.
"Obviously he finished the season and got himself fit at the end of season
so he has had a bit of a run at it and maybe he has a little bit longer than
perhaps the others. "It is great for us. It is just like a new signing come
back. "Dean Ashton scored a couple the other day and now Craig Bellamy has
come back and got a couple of goals so it is terrific for us."
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Yossi rumours rejected - SSN
Midfielder wants Anfield stay
By Peter O'Rourke Last updated: 30th July 2008
Yossi Benayoun's agent has played down talk linking the midfielder with a
move away from Liverpool. Reports have suggested Liverpool may be prepared
to sacrifice Benayoun after Rafa Benitez admitted he will have to sell
before he can buy again. Manchester City and Benayoun's former club West Ham
have been linked with a move for the Israeli international if Liverpool do
decide to offload the player. However, Benayoun's agent, Ronen Katzav says
he has had no contact with any interested clubs and that the player is
concentrating on the new season ahead at Liverpool. "There has been no
contact or talks with any club about Yossi," Katzav told skysports.com. "All
summer there has been speculation about Yossi, but he has a contract with
Liverpool. "I don't believe Liverpool want to sell Yossi and he is just
concentrating on life at Liverpool. "It is nice that everybody is interested
in Yossi, but from our point of view he is only thinking about Liverpool."
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Lazio turn to West Ham's Ljungberg
tribalfooball.com - July 30, 2008
Lazio are chasing West Ham United midfielder Freddie Ljungberg. La
Repubblica says Lazio are keen to boost their midfield and have the Swede on
their shopping list.
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West Ham's Boa Morte interesting Sunderland
tribalfooball.com - July 30, 2008
Sunderland are eyeing West Ham winger Luis Boa Morte. The Portugal
international is available from the Hammers and keen to remain in England.
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Liverpool's Yossi Benayoun in line for West Ham return - Telegraph
Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun is in line for a stunning return to
former club West Ham a year after leaving Upton Park for Anfield, according
to reports.
By Matt Lawless
Last Updated: 11:22AM BST 30 Jul 2008
Benayoun has struggled to hold down a regular first team starting place
since his £4.5 million arrival on Merseyside and his position at the club is
under threat as Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is tasked with raising
sufficient funds for a renewed Gareth Barry bid. The Israel international
was highly revered during his two seasons in east London after Alan Pardew
made him a £2.5 million signing from Spanish side Racing Santander following
the club's promotion to the Premier League in 2005. And Benayoun's return
would be a popular decision among the West Ham faithful, doing much to
relieve growing discontent towards manager Alan Curbishley which became
increasingly apparent in the latter stages of last season. Unprecedented
pressure has mounted on Curbishley to improve the club's fortunes this
season but there is already concern that he has made just two signings so
far this summer in unproven Icelandic quantity Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson and
Swiss utility man Valon Behrami, a £5 million capture from Lazio. Nolberto
Solano, the Peru international who was released by West Ham at the end of
last season, revealed that expectation on Curbishley is at an optimum for
the forthcoming campaign, warning the former Charlton manager could lose his
job if he does not consolidate the club in the top eight. Manchester City
manager Mark Hughes is also understood to be weighing up a move for Benayoun
and could out-bid West Ham by tabling a £6 million offer for the playmaker.
Benitez confirmed he needs to sell players in an effort to revive his
interest in £18 million rated Barry as the deal for the Aston Villa player
hangs in the balance. Benayoun, who has made 30 appearances for Liverpool
scoring 11 goals, joins Xabi Alonso, Jermaine Pennant, Andriy Voronin and
Steve Finnan as the likely candidates to leave the club in the coming weeks.
"We're still trying to sign the players we need and if we need to sell
someone, we will," said Benitez. "If we can do the Barry deal before the end
of the transfer window, we will continue to try - we will always continue to
improve our squad."
West Ham, meanwhile, returned from their nine-day tour of America with a 2-0
win over League One outfit Peterborough United last night. New signing
Behrami made his debut at right back in place of captain Lucas Neill, who
started at left-back, as Craig Bellamy continued his impressive pre-season
form scoring both goals to make it four in three outings since his injury
comeback.
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Hammers trio set for return against Southampton - Guardian Series
9:20am Friday 1st August 2008
ALAN Curbishley is hoping to get a number of key players back for West Ham's
pre-season trip to Southampton tonight. The Irons recorded a 2-0 friendly
win over League One side Peterborough United at London Road on Tuesday
night. But after the game Curbishley raised concerns that the club's
gruelling pre-season schedule - thanks largely to the nine-day tour to North
America - could leave his players with burn-out. "The America trip was tough
and one or two are still suffering because of it," said Curbishley. "I can't
rotate it at the moment, so some players are being flogged a bit and that's
not what you want in pre-season."
Dean Ashton (illness), Luis Boa Morte (bruised foot) and Matthew Etherington
(rested as precaution) all sat out of the clash with Posh. However, the trio
could be back for the trip to St Mary's Stadium tonight, although the game
looks to be too early for George McCartney, who has missed the pre-season
games with a hamstring problem. "I'm hoping Ashton, Boa Morte and
Etherington will be back for the Southampton game, and for McCartney to get
something over the weekend, perhaps a bit of the Ipswich game on Monday,"
said Curbishley. "When they do get themselves right, and a few others who
are close like Lee Bowyer and James Tomkins get back, then we'll have a bit
of a squad."
West Ham: (from) Green, Stech, Walker, Neill, Behrami, McCartney, Widdowson,
Ferdinand, Davenport, Upson, Eyjolfsson, Noble, Parker, Collison, Mullins,
Faubert, Stanislas, Etherington, Boa Morte, Reid, Stokes, Hines, Sears,
Ashton, Bellamy, Cole.
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Sunderland linked with West Ham winger - and Reading pair again. -
ShieldsGazette.com
Sunderland AFC news
WEST Ham's Luis Boa Morte was the latest name to be thrown into the rumour
mill over the last 24 hours - and Keane was in mischievous mood when asked
of any interest in Reading pair Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt. He said: "Not
tonight. But tomorrow might be different."
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Posh impress Hammers boss - PeterboroughToday.com
WEST Ham manager Alan Curbishley has joined the Posh fan club. Curbishley
admitted that Posh gave the Premier League Hammers the best possible
work-out in last night's friendly at London Road. West Ham won the match 2-0
thanks to two first-half Craig Bellamy goals, but Posh were unfortunate not
to score a couple of goals themselves. Curbishley admitted: "The first half
in particular was one of the fastest friendlies I've seen and full credit to
Peterborough because they made it a proper test for us. We played well going
forward, but so did they and Robert Green had to make some excellent saves.
"Peterborough were very impressive and will surely have a good season. There
were some tasty tackles flying in as well, but I didn't mind that – it was a
real game of football."
Posh manager Darren Ferguson also enthused about his side. Posh have lost
their last two friendlies, but Ferguson still believes they are peaking at
just the right time with the start of the League One season just a
week-and-a-half away. Ferguson said: "We played some great attacking
football and the result was very harsh on us. I couldn't believe we were 2-0
down at half-time because Aaron Mclean, George Boyd and Craig Mackail-Smith
delivered some outstanding football. "We worked on a lot of attacking play
in training on Monday and to see the lads put it into practice was very
pleasing. It was an excellent performance from us. "I was very pleased with
them all to be fair even though the two goals we conceded were avoidable as
they came from huge lumps forward. Craig Bellamy is a clever player though
and we won't face many like him in League One – his goals were good play by
him, but lapses of concentration on our part. "It was another great work-out
for us and we are definitely moving in the right direction. There is real
competition for places in all areas of the field and that is very
important."
The West Ham friendly attracted a crowd just short of 5,500 to London Road.
The kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes after large queues formed at the
ticket office.
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Al can't Curb his Craig enthusiasm - teamTalk
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has hailed the return to full fitness of Wales
striker Craig Bellamy as "like a new signing". Bellamy continued his
impressive return to form and fitness with two goals in Tuesday's friendly
win over Peterborough. He endured a miserable first season at Upton Park
with injuries restricting him to just nine games for the Hammers. Curbishley
is delighted have Bellamy back firing on all cylinders ahead of the start of
the new season. "He has been working ever so hard," Curbishley told Sky
Sports News. "Obviously he finished the season and got himself fit at the
end of season so he has had a bit of a run at it and maybe he has a little
bit longer than perhaps the others. "It is great for us. It is just like a
new signing coming back.
"Dean Ashton scored a couple the other day and now Craig Bellamy has come
back and got a couple of goals so it is terrific for us."
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Shorey unmoved by transfer talk - Setanta
by Chris Stanton, 30 July 2008
Reading's England international left back Nicky Shorey insists he is not
buying in to speculation over his future. West Ham and Portsmouth are the
teams most commonly mentioned in connection with the 27-year-old who, by
manager Steve Coppell and chief executive Nick Howe's own admission, is
unlikely to remain at The Madejski Stadium following Reading's relegation to
The Championship. Shorey told the Reading Evening Post: "There is
speculation about everyone, not just me. I have had it for the last two
years now and I will just get on with it. The chief exec can say what he
likes about my future. I won't be commenting on it. I will just focus on my
football. "I am concentrating on getting fit and I will let other people
waffle on. It's all just paper talk. "I have been with Reading a long time.
We've got a good group of lads, but what the future holds no-one knows.
"Everyone wants Premier League football. We want to get back there and
hopefully we will. "But it's gone for the moment. These things happen. We
weren't good enough last season. All we can do now is try to get back up."
Andre Bikey has been more outspoken about his future and this week revealed
his intention is to leave The Royals. However Coppell insists there has been
no formal interest in the Cameroon international. Coppell said: "Like the
rest of the players, if anyone comes in – as long as it's a realistic offer
– we will put it to the player and he can make his own mind up. "He wants to
be at the Olympics and I think if I was a player it would be exciting, but I
think he will be aware that our season starts before he comes back and other
people are likely to be in pole position. "He's played in World Cup games in
the summer and all the players in national sides talk about playing wherever
and all of a sudden he finds himself playing in the Championship so I think
he would not find it attractive, but as yet I'm not aware of any interest in
him."
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