WHUFC.com
The club has responded this afternoon to a report in today's Daily Mirror
22.12.2010
Contrary to a report in today's Daily Mirror, the club categorically deny that Carlton Cole, Kieron Dyer, Herita Ilunga, Danny Gabbidon and Luis Boa Morte can only train two days a week; they train every day they are requested to without fail. The players and the club are seeking legal advice on the matter.
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Freddie fired up
WHUFC.com
Freddie Sears is back at the Boleyn Ground and determined to aid West Ham United's survival bid
22.12.2010
Freddie Sears is ready to answer the call to help West Ham United's Barclays Premier League survival bid. The versatile forward, who turned 21 last month, had his loan spell with Championship side Scunthorpe United cut short on Tuesday. Sears packed his bags and drove back to east London in time to join his Hammers team-mates in training at the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday morning. Having returned from a successful stay at Glanford Park, where he made nine impressive league appearances, the Academy graduate is now planning to make a similarly positive impact in a different shade of claret and blue. "I got the call to report back and I spoke to Grovesy and he said to come back and start training on Wednesday. It's good to be back and to come home. "Obviously, my loan was up on 3 January so I wasn't expecting to come back before then as I had three or four games left. I'm happy, in a way, to come home and be back at West Ham. Staying in a hotel at Christmas time isn't the best, so it's nice to be back where I come from. "It's a massive period for the lads, for the team and for everyone. We have four games in a short period of about eight days so hopefully there will be a chance for players who haven't been playing to play and, you never know, I might get a go. I'll just have to see what happens. "You see what's happening and the table isn't really doing us any favours at the moment, but the lads are all confident that we'll turn it around and hopefully we can. You can tell on the training pitch that we can. "The last two games have been called-off, which has been frustrating, but if I'm called upon at Fulham then I'm sure I'll be ready."
Sears spoke positively about his time at Scunthorpe, where he played an influential role in vital away victories at Watford, Preston North End and Hull City from a new role on the left wing. Having been loaned to Crystal Palace and Coventry City last season, the youngster said he had enjoyed his time with the Iron, but was now concentrating all his efforts on firing up the Irons. "We started well. We had two good wins when I started there and then we had a little bad spell when we didn't win for five games, which was disappointing, but you learn a lot when you go out on loan. It helps you grow up and you are more of a team when you're in bad situations. "I quite enjoy playing out wide and I've been playing a lot on the left of midfield or the left of a three up-front. It's harder to get in a position to score. Maybe I should have scored some goals, but I do enjoy playing the position. "I want to try to push on. It's obviously a busy time so I want to get into the New Year, play a few games and see what happens."
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Coach travel offer for Fulham
WHUFC.com
Fans can travel with the club to Craven Cottage for the big Boxing Day fixture
22.12.2010
West Ham United are delighted to offer coach travel for the Fulham away game on Boxing Day. With a tube strike scheduled, the club will lay on coaches to Craven Cottage from the Boleyn Ground - subject to demand. Coaches will depart the stadium at 10am, costing £15 for adults and £12 for concessions. Match tickets for this crucial fixture are still available from the ticket office up until the close of business on Christmas Eve. These are available for £22 for Under-16s and £49 for adults. For bookings and further information, call 0871 222 2700.
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Sidwell in Hammers medical
Midfielder closes in on Upton Park switch
Last updated: 22nd December 2010
SSN
Skysports.com understands Steve Sidwell is currently undergoing a medical at West Ham as he looks to secure his switch from Aston Villa. The former Chelsea and Reading midfielder, who has recently recovered from an Achilles problem, is being put through his paces at the club's training ground as the Hammers look to make Sidwell their first signing of the January transfer window. West Ham are thought to have agreed a cut-price fee for Sidwell with the 28-year-old's contract at Villa due to expire in the summer. Hammers boss Avram Grant is keen to bolster his squad as he looks to help them climb away from trouble at the wrong end of the table and he sees Sidwell's arrival as a key addition for the second half of the season. Sidwell has struggled to make an impact at Villa since joining from Chelsea in the summer of 2008 and he is keen to find regular first-team football. If all goes well with the medical, Sidwell will seal the switch to Upton Park for the start of January when the transfer window officially opens.
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O'Hara confused by Hammers link
But midfielder acknowledges that Spurs future is far from certain
Last updated: 22nd December 2010
SSN
Jamie O'Hara admits he could leave Tottenham in the winter transfer window but he has denied holding talks with Avram Grant at West Ham. Reports have suggested that the midfielder could move to Upton Park as part of Spurs manager Harry Redknapp's ongoing interest in Scott Parker. O'Hara has not featured this season due to a back injury and it remains to be seen if he has a future at White Hart Lane, where Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas, Niko Kranjcar, Wilson Palacios, Luka Modric and Sandro are competing for places. The 24-year-old could return in the FA Cup tie against Charlton in January but he acknowledges that his future is far from certain.
Fan favourite
"I've never wanted to leave Tottenham but there comes a point in your career if you're not playing games you've got to look at yourself and think well this is my career," said O'Hara. "I want to be playing football, I'm not one of these people that want to sit in the bench and play one in four. "I want to go to a club where I can put some roots down and hopefully become a fan favourite and stay at a club for a few years. I don't want to be coming into clubs playing for three months, coming back. "If I do go and things don't work out here at Tottenham then I'm going to be looking for somewhere where I'm going to stay for four or five years. That's something I want to do now, I don't want to be moving around all the time."
Rumours
The midfielder enjoyed playing under Grant at their former club, Portsmouth, but denies he has already been in contact with the Premier League's bottom club about either a loan or permanent move. O'Hara said: "I've heard all these rumours going around about West Ham but to be honest I haven't had any conversations with them at all so I don't know where it's coming from. "I always had a great relationship with Avram. I see him as a philosopher of football, he wasn't the sort of guy who gets up off the bench screaming and shouting - he's not that type of person. "He took a calmer approach to it, kind of like Arsene Wenger in a way. It just hasn't worked out for him (at West Ham). Hopefully he'll stay in the job."
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Parker: Capital clashes can save our season
Published 23:00 22/12/10 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror
Scott Parker has called on West Ham to save their season during three capital clashes in a week over Christmas. Avram Grant's side travel to Craven Cottage for a London derby on Boxing Day before hosting Everton and Wolves. After only two victories in the first 18 games of the season, time is quickly running out for the Premier League's bottom club and their Israeli manager. Tottenham target Parker has been inspirational in the midfield of a struggling side which last picked up three points in the "Save Our Season" match against Wigan on November 27. But the England midfielder insisted the club's fortunes can change quickly during a frantic Christmas programme. The 30-year-old said: "We are going into an important period. "We are not in the best of positions in the league but if we can pick up some points, it will help us a lot. Let's hope we can win some games. "Things can turn around quickly. Every game for us this year is going to be massive for us. "But there are some important games coming up in London and they are winnable games for us.
"So the quicker we can start winning games, the better, starting on Boxing Day."
Parker said a footballer's Christmas means there is little time off. "We train in the morning on Christmas Day and then stay in a hotel in the evening because we have got an early kick-off on Boxing Day," he said. "But I will get a couple of hours with the family and the children so it will still be a good time."
With Aston Villa's Steve Sidwell close to agreeing a loan deal to Upton Park, the club are still looking to bring in a striker and a left-back during the January window. Robbie Keane's proposed loan move across London has hit problems because West Ham do not want to pay a fee – or include the invaluable Parker in any deal. West Ham have also recalled striker Freddie Sears, from his two-month loan spell at npower Championship Scunthorpe where he has started nine games. Sears, 21, has not scored since finding the net on his debut for West Ham in March 2008 and had been expected to stay at Glanford Park until January 3. But the Hammers' manager has decided to end the loan in the hope Sears can add firepower to the squad. West Ham have had more shots than Manchester United this season, 189 against 188) but with only 65 – 34 per cent– on target - equal lowest with Sunderland. Only Wigan, with just 13 goals have scored fewer than the Hammers' 16 goals. With Tal Ben Haim already borrowed from Portsmouth, the completion of a loan deal for Sidwell will mean Jamie O'Hara cannot come on loan from Spurs. The 24-year-old midfielder, who reached the FA Cup final with Grant at Portsmouth last season, has been out with a back injury. O'Hara said: "I've heard all these rumours going around about West Ham but I haven't had any conversations with them at all so I don't know where it's coming from. "I always had a great relationship with Avram. I see him as a philosopher of football, he wasn't the sort of guy who gets up off the bench screaming and shouting - he's not that type of person. "He took a calmer approach to it, kind of like Arsene Wenger in a way. It just hasn't worked out for him (at West Ham). Hopefully, he'll stay in the job."
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Would West Ham fans really prefer relegation to Big Sam?
By Darren Lewis
Published 12:22 22/12/10
The Mirror
My mate Stuart is quite clear about one thing. While he has the utmost respect for the job Sam Allardyce has done at Blackburn and Bolton, he'd rather his beloved West Ham go down than welcome the out-of-work boss to Upton Park. It was a view that stunned me, I have to say. Allardyce has a track record of stabilising clubs and getting the job done. It might not be pretty, but then Premier League safety is surely all-important - or so I thought. I asked a few more West Ham fans inside the office and they were with Stu. They too would rather go down than see Big Sam betray the traditions of the club by bringing his long ball game to the Boleyn.
I went to a do last night, asked a few more Hammers fans and they too agreed. They concurred completely with Stu's view that they'd refuse to pay to watch the Allardyce style of football which, in their eyes, is the complete opposite of everything West Ham stand for. And I have to say it was an introduction to a harsh reality for me. I proffered the view the other day that the new owners of Blackburn must surely have been crazy to sack a man who would pretty much guarantee Premier League football every year. I stand by that view. I am not a Big Sam cheerleader but the Premier League is a hard enough league to stay in without cutting adrift one of the managers who knows the division - and what is needed to cope in it - like the back of his hand.
The view from quite a few West Ham fans is that - rightly or wrongly - there is a marked difference between the expectation level at Ewood Park and Upton Park. The feeling in London seems to be that West Ham, with their long history of keeping the ball on the ground, are loath - much as the fans want to be rid of Avram Grant - to trade that in for the rough-house, long-ball tactics that were so commonplace under Allardyce at Rovers and Bolton. Indeed, in an example of how savage this game can be, widespread vilification of Allardyce went hand in hand with the incredulity at his sacking by Blackburn last week. His detractors believe he is a dinosaur. That, as relatively successful as his teams are, they are from the dark ages. They are just not enjoyable to watch.
Never mind the fact that he transformed the career of Kevin Davies, honed the talents of Kevin Nolan and for so long was a past master at getting an extra few miles out of so-called past-it players such as Jay-Jay Okocha, now a legend at the Reebok Stadium. Big Sam was a keen advocate of the scientific approach which is now de rigueur within the game. After Colin Todd's failed attempt to get Bolton back into the Premier League 11 years ago, Allardyce got them up and kept them just two seasons later. In fact, in his final four seasons at Bolton, Allardyce had recorded consecutive top ten finishes, a record of consistency bettered only by the big four of Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. Of his successors at the Reebok, Sammy Lee could manage only one win in 11 matches, Gary Megson sold star striker Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea and although Owen Coyle has made the team more attractive to watch, you could argue that the groundwork for his success was laid well and truly by Allardyce. After saving Blackburn from relegation two years ago, Big Sam took the club into the League Cup semi-final last season. And, listen to this - Rovers' impressive home record contributed to Rovers going unbeaten against the so-called Big Four at Ewood Park for the first time in 14 years. For the record, Blackburn drew 0–0 with Liverpool and Manchester United, 1–1 with Chelsea and beat Arsenal 2–1.
I'm not going to lie, I'd still much rather go to IKEA than watch his teams. But I maintain that, if West Ham fans really do want to stay up, then they should realise that Allardyce can contribute far more to their short-term future than they think.
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Hammers fan Hughton in line to replace Grant
Published 23:00 22/12/10 By John Cross
The Mirror
Chris Hughton is on West Ham's shortlist of candidates if Avram Grant cannot save his job over Christmas. Former Newcastle boss Hughton impressed the West Ham hierarchy with the job he did at St James's Park and he played at Upton Park as well as supporting the club as a youngster. Grant is battling to save his job but needs results quickly as West Ham are in danger of being cut adrift at the bottom. The West Ham board have stuck by him so far but they are acutely aware that they cannot let it go on forever and Grant is under no illusions that his job is on the line. Ex-Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is not believed to be interested at the moment while Alan Curbishley is another experienced contender but a return to Upton Park would seem unlikely even though his acrimonious departure came under different owners. It leaves Hughton among the contenders and West Ham know that he would not cost them a compensation package, is available and it is believed he would be keen. Meanwhile, West Ham are also eyeing up Manchester City's out of favour left back Wayne Bridge. Bridge may be allowed to go out on from City who also could help subsidise his £80,000-a-week contract. Fulham and Stoke are also interested.
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How Do We Break Out of the Historical Vicious Circle of Under-Achievement?
West Ham Till I Die
There is a minority view amongst Hammers fans that the club would somehow benefit from relegation and a period out of the PL! I have heard this argument aired a few times and I really feel that the underpinning rationale is flawed. That process of stepping down to re-organise and regroup may have been a viable strategy in prior eras (i.e. the 1970s and 1980s when our best players stayed loyal to the club), but today it is not a path that a club would wish to follow. Yes, Newcastle Utd did it last season, but there is a real danger that the dire potential implications of relegation (especially for heavily indebted clubs) would be disastrous.
It is crucial that West Ham stay in the PL this season. There are an whole range of imperatives for the need to ensure survival, including the fact that Tony Carr and the Academy have produced another crop of youngsters that could potentially be the best since the Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole generations. With the current struggles of the first team,the potential in the U-17s and U-18s is not getting the attention that it deserves.
Outstanding prospect, Dominic Voce, has just signed his first professional contract with the club. This is a youngster that joined West Ham over Fulham and drew strong interest from the likes of Man Utd. In addition to Voce, the club's Academy can boast promising defenders Jordan Brown (left-back), Callum McNaughton (centre-back), Sergio Sanchez (centre-back), lair Turgott (midfield), Matthias Fanimo (midfield), Olly Lee (midfield), George Moncur (midfield), Robert Hall (striker), Christian Montano (striker) and Dylan Tombides (striker). This is by no means an exhaustive list and there are other prospects that could also make the grade. Add these to others such as Frank Nouble, Zavon Hines and Jordan Spence who are ahead of them the reserve/first team pecking order and the club's future could potentially be very bright.
Whilst it is true that not all of these players are necessarily going to make it, there is real potential there. This is reflected in the fact that the U-18s have recently had back-to-back wins over Chelski and Arsenal's youngsters.
Dominic Voce has recently been reported as stating that West Ham offers a definite developmental path as trodden by the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Cole, Johnson, Carrick and Defoe. One would hope that this refers to a path to full England honours, rather than Chelski, Man Utd, Liverpool and Spurs! But that is always a danger and a dilemma for West Ham Utd FC, how can we retain our best Academy prospects to move the club forward? How can we stop the current PL 'ruling class' using their CL status and finances to take the best players off us and, in doing so, ensure that the status quo (and their domination) is reinforced far in to the future? And of course, relegation is the perfect scenerio for them to exploit other club's predicament to plunder their youth products, as we painfully experienced in 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Some will argue that is exactly our fate, barring some Man City style take over, to be a feeder club for the current top sides and that we should be grateful for the transfer revenue that it generates. Of course, others will berate me for raising such issues in the midst of the club's current struggles and state that it is irrelevant an/or unrealistic. So be it, but the fact remains that as well as dealing with the current crisis, we must link it strategically to the question of how we can break out of this vicious circle of under-achievement that has blighted West Ham's modern history.
If we are to do it (under this or some other ownership regime) then we must maintain a crucial balance between developing and retaining our own youth products, whilst investing in the squad to bring in the quality of player that can not only improve our immediate prospects, but also positively assist youth development. Youngsters need to play alongside and learn from top players, but they do not need their first team prospects totally blocked, a la Chelski. Just being in a position to recruit the quality of external recruit to move us forward is a big enough problem, but establishing the balance with youth development is also a considerable challenge.
I do not necessarily see West Ham as perpetual strugglers/under-achievers, but enlightened and proactive action needs to be undertaken to break the vicious circle. West Ham fans have had more than enough pain over the years (particularly since 2006-07) and they deserve to follow a club that is worthy of supporters that are second to none!
And the squad can start paying them back this boxing day against Fulham. We keep getting and spurning chances to get out of the bottom three. But with Fulham just ahead us in the table, a victory at Craven Cottage could be a really pivotal result. Are the team up to the job? Yes, if we stay organised at the back and start taking our chances. We must be far more ruthless in front of goal, as the statistic recently highlight by Iain illustrates. We must aim for a return of at least seven points over the next three matches. An difficult target, but one that is necessary in our current situation. Unlikely perhaps? But who knows, stranger things have happened!
Anyway, enjoy the game and the rest of the Festival period programme. And I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone associated with WHTID a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
SJ. Chandos.
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West Ham balk at Tottenham striker Robbie Keane's demand for £1million bonus for avoiding relegation
Robbie Keane's move to West Ham United has collapsed after the Tottenham Hotspur striker is understood to have asked for a £1 million bonus should he help the Premier League's bottom club avoid relegation.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt 7:15AM GMT 23 Dec 2010
West Ham would also have had to pay Keane's £65,000-a-week wages — his salary at Spurs – for an initial six-month loan deal, then commit to a £6 million fee to take up the option of signing the Republic of Ireland international on a three-year contract. In addition, it is understood that Tottenham had considered asking for an increase on that fee, thought to be another £1 million, should West Ham stay up. It means, in effect, they would have had to have paid £8 million for Keane in fees and bonuses plus a contract that would have amounted to £11.8 million over 3½ years. That would have been an overall financial commitment of £19.8 million for a striker who is 30. According to a highly-placed club source, West Ham are believed to have been stunned by the demands after inquiring about Keane's availability in the hope that he could bolster their attacking options.
Although the club were never confident that Keane would sign for them they did enter into negotiations. It is understood that Keane wants to go to Aston Villa, who are hopeful of a deal being done next month. West Ham also inquired about Jamie O'Hara, however there is concern over the midfielder's fitness as he is yet to play this season because of a back injury. West Ham have also turned to Manchester City in their quest to improve their squad and made an offer on Tuesday to take Wayne Bridge on loan until the end of the season. The left-back's wages of £90,000 a week are prohibitive, but West Ham had hoped to strike a deal whereby they would pay half and City half. However, it is understood that City are demanding West Ham pay a greater proportion of Bridge's wages, which the club are reluctant to do. They have not given up hope of a deal, especially as City are keen to move Bridge on once they sign either Espanyol's Victor Ruiz or Benfica's David Luiz. Both Fulham and Stoke are also believed to be tracking Bridge, though City do not expect a flurry of bids for the former England left-back when the January transfer window opens.
The 30-year-old, along with the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joleon Lescott, will be allowed to leave Eastlands if a suitable offer arrives, but City believe clubs will wait until much later in the transfer window before making their move. Prior to the inquiry about Bridge, West Ham had also failed with an offer for Emmanuel Adebayor despite being willing to pay £100,000 of his £180,000-a-week wages. They would be prepared to pay such an exorbitant salary in the hope that the striker could score the goals to help them to safety. City were understood to be prepared to do that deal but it floundered when Adebayor refused to move. It is believed he does not want to join a club facing a relegation battle and is also angling for a permanent transfer, not a loan, next month and would prefer to move to Italy with Juventus and AC Milan having previously shown interest. City also want Roque Santa Cruz to leave but his injury record is making clubs reluctant to move for the Paraguayan striker. Despite the frustrations they have encountered, West Ham hope to sign three or four players in the transfer window with Villa's Steve Sidwell likely to be the first arrival. The club will also have to move some players on as they try to balance their finances while an added complication is the likelihood that manager Avram Grant will be sacked should he fail to gain a victory in his next two games. West Ham face Fulham away on Boxing Day, then Everton at home on Dec 28, and despite the reluctance to dispense with Grant's services, his departure may be inevitable unless results improve dramatically very quickly.
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West Ham will sell Matthew Upson and Kieron Dyer if price is right
Defender one of six players out of contract next summer
Jamie O'Hara expected to sign on loan from Tottenham
Guardian.co.uk
Jamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 22 December 2010 21.56 GMT
Matthew Upson will be sold next month if West Ham United receive an appropriate bid for the centre-half, as the 31-year-old has six months remaining on his deal. Upson is one of six players who will be out of contract next summer and West Ham will also allow the midfielder Kieron Dyer, the right-back Lars Jacobsen and the defenders Jonathan Spector and Danny Gabbidon to leave at the right price.
Upson's departure would be the most significant blow. There is no desire at Upton Park to sell the England international, who is the captain and an integral member of Avram Grant's team. Yet his contract situation and the side's precarious league position mean club and player will await developments next month.
West Ham are bottom of the Premier League, three points from safety, having won only twice all season. Despite a strong belief among the directors that Grant will avoid relegation, the team's position makes the offer of a fresh long-term deal, and its acceptance by Upson, difficult.
Upson may interest Liverpool, with whom he has been linked, due to the long‑term injury to Jamie Carragher, and any funds generated from sales would be used by Grant to strengthen his squad. Carlton Cole may also be sold as the manager has stated that the forward can depart next month, and Valon Behrami, signed from Lazio in 2008, would like to return to Italy.
Grant would like to add a striker, a midfielder and a left-back. Steve Sidwell, the Aston Villa midfielder, was today undergoing a medical at West Ham. There is also an interest in Joey Barton but the Newcastle United midfielder and his manager, Alan Pardew, today ruled out a sale.
Pardew said: "We don't want to do any business. Part of my first week or so here has been spent trying to analyse what is the situation with the players we have and to try to secure their positions before we start looking elsewhere. That's been my main focus, rather than looking at other players who could raise the level."
Barton told the BBC: "I was actually laughing about it this morning, saying that I thought £1.5m [reported price] was a little bit cheap. People write what they write, it is silly season. I have always gone on record about the affinity I have got with the fans at this football club, and the football club and my fellow players. I have been on record as saying I want to stay here for the rest of my career. Nothing has happened and no one has told me otherwise, and as far as I'm concerned, that's what's going to happen."
West Ham are expected to sign Jamie O'Hara on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. O'Hara, recently recovered from a back injury and back in light training, spent last season on loan at Avram Grant's Portsmouth.
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Barton laughs off exit talk and insists he would be happy at Newcastle for rest of his career
By COLIN YOUNG Last updated at 12:14 AM on 23rd December 2010
Daily Mail
Joey Barton has laughed off claims he could leave Newcastle next month and insists he wants to end his career at the club. Sportsmail has learned that Newcastle are prepared to listen to £1.5million cash offers for the controversial midfielder who is in the form of his life on Tyneside. Barton has 18 months left on his £60,000-a-week contract and if Aston Villa or West Ham are prepared to meet Newcastle's valuation for the 28-year-old he could be allowed to leave St James' Park. All this is news to Barton, who joined Newcastle from their Boxing Day opponents Manchester City in June 2007. He said: 'I was actually laughing about it, saying that I thought £1.5million was a little bit cheap and if I was them, I would ask for more and we had a good giggle about it.
'I have always gone on record about the affinity I have got with the fans at this football club, and the football club, and my fellow players. I have been on record as saying I want to stay here for the rest of my career. 'Nothing has happened and no-one has told me otherwise, and as far as I'm concerned, that's what's going to happen.'
Barton's reaction to the latest speculation will be welcomed by Newcastle boss Alan Pardew who has reiterated his desire to keep hold of the midfielder, England striker Andy Carroll and defender Steven Taylor. The new manager may not be reading from the same script as his employers if Tottenham can back up their interest in Carroll with a £20m offer next month, but Pardew insists the striker is staying. He said: 'In this window, Andy Carroll is definitely going nowhere. I'm quite confident of that. It doesn't surprise me that some of the big clubs are after him, but he's very important for this club. I'll make that clear to certain managers if they ring me. 'I hope to resolve the Steven Taylor situation but there are discussions that still need to take place. I want to secure Steven because he's a young centre half, he's a local lad and he's done great for the club, you don't want to lose that sort of player. 'We don't want to do any business. One of my main priorities has been to secure the position of the players we have before we start to look elsewhere.'
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Canales won't leave Real Madrid for West Ham or Bolton, says dad
TalkSport
By Declan Taylor
Wednesday, December 22
Sergio Canales will not be moving to the Premier League according to his father, who is also his agent. West Ham and Bolton had emerged as surprise loan destinations for the talented teenager, who has failed to hit the heights expected of him at Real Madrid. Hailed as the next big thing in La Liga, Canales moved to the Bernabeu from Racing Santander in the summer - but has started only once this season. That lack of first-team opportunities had opened the door for a possible loan switch, but Angel Canales has slammed it shut on his Premier League admirers "To join a team like Real Madrid at the age of 19 is very demanding on all levels and you must have patience," he told Spanish journalists. "He is happy with his life in Madrid. Admittedly it would be better if he was playing more but it's a difficult situation and he must fight to change it. "But we have decided that Sergio should continue to work for his chance at Madrid."
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