Daily WHUFC News - 5th June 2013

Rat relishing new challenge
WHUFC.com
Razvan Rat is looking forward to proving himself in English football with West Ham United
04.06.2013

Razvan Rat says he has 'new motivation' after agreeing to join West Ham United from Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk. Rat, who is tipped to captain Romania in their friendly international with Trinidad and Tobago in Bucharest on Tuesday evening, will join the Hammers officially on 1 July. After ten successful years with Shakhtar, with whom he lifted seven Ukrainian Premier League titles, four Ukrainian Cups and the UEFA Cup in 2009, the experienced 32-year-old has been snapped up by Sam Allardyce. A veteran of 57 UEFA Champions League appearances and exactly 300 games for Shakhtar, the left-back is relishing the opportunity to prove his worth in the Barclays Premier League. "For me it is a challenge and new motivation," Rat told Shakhtar's official website during a farewell press conference. "For the new team [West Ham], I will try to prove to them that I am coming from a team that played in the Champions League and that I have a high level of skill."

While his pedigree is without question, Rat will not rest on his reputation on his arrival in east London. Rather, he is determined to show exactly what all the fuss is about after signing a one-year contract with the Club having the option to extend his stay by a further two years. "I also have to meet the expectations of my new club, where they are sure I will spend three years. I will demonstrate to them precisely the level I've shown here."

The full-back also joked that he plans to take Joe Cole's coveted No26 shirt - the squad number he has worn with honour throughout his decade in Donetsk.
"I will try to move him and get his number 26," he laughed, before adding: "I'm just kidding."

On a more serious note, Rat paid tribute to fellow countryman and long-time Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu, whose own future is also in doubt as his contract expires this summer. The defender worked under Lucescu at first club Rapid Bucharest before being reunited with the Romanian in Ukraine in 2004.
"I don't have enough words to say thank you to everyone who helped me succeed over the ten years of my career here," he said. "I've known Mister [Lucescu] for a long while. He once brought me to Rapid when I was 18 years old. That happened a long time ago, but he noticed me, and our paths crossed again here at Shakhtar. I am very grateful to him for the fact that he polished me both as a player and as an individual."
Rat will join his new West Ham team-mates when the Hammers return for pre-season training in early July.

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West Ham bid for Spain striker Alvara Negredo rejected
BBC.co.uk

West Ham have had a £14.5m bid for Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo rejected, according to the Spanish club's president. Jose Maria Del Nido said Sevilla were under no pressure to sell, having already agreed a £17m-plus deal with Manchester City for winger Jesus Navas. "West Ham offered 17m (euros) with more in incentives but we do not value the offer and the player refused," he said. The 27-year-old Spain international scored 31 goals last season. At a news conference, Del Nido added: "He has four years left on his contract. "He is at home here. He has scored a lot of goals and delighted us with his football." However, he said the deal for 27-year-old Navas was "a great deal for both parties". Sevilla finished the season ninth in La Liga but qualified for the Europa League because of European competition bans imposed on Malaga and Rayo Vallecano.

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Striker unmoved by West Ham interest
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 4th June 2013
By: Staff Writer

Highly-rated Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo is reported to have been the subject of a recent transfer-record breaking bid from West Ham United. The 27-year-old Seville forward is one of the hottest properties in Spanish football at the moment and the Andalusian club - who expect to lose him this summer - are said to have slapped a €25million price on his head. However that didn't apparently deter West Ham from making a bid of around £17million last month, according to Seville president Jose Maria del Nido. KUMB reported on 21st May that West Ham had made an audacious attempt to land Negrado, who has made 14 appearances for Spain - something that has now been confirmed by Del Nido. However United's interest cooled almost immediately after they were told Negredo had no interest in moving to East London. Whilst a move to the Premier League was not ruled out by the striker, his preference is to secure a move to one of the league's Champions League qualifiers, as confirmed recently by his agent Juanma Lopez.

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Sevilla turn down West Ham bid for Alvaro Negredo
Last Updated: June 4, 2013 5:02pm
SSN

West Ham have had an offer for Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo rejected by the Spanish club. Sevilla president Jose Maria Del Nido claims the Premier League side offered £14.5m for the 27-year-old forward, who last season scored 31 goals in all competitions. "He has four years left on his contract," explained Del Nido. "He is at home here. He has scored a lot of goals and delighted us with his football. "The summer will tell us in due course if he will still be with us, but if you ask my opinion I'd rather there were no bids. "West Ham offered 17m euros in cash with more in incentives but we do not value the offer and the player refused."

Del Nido explained the club are under no pressure to sell after agreeing a £24m deal to sell winger Jesus Navas to Manchester City. "The price at which we have sold Jesus Navas is an amount much higher than we thought they were going to offer, especially as there was only one bidder. "We do not yet know the final figure as there are many variables and incentives in the deal. "But we have no need to sell as this has covered our budget deficit. "In the past we have been willing to sell a player if the market value is offered, but so far all the offers that have come in have been rejected."

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West Ham Bid £14m for Alvaro Negredo!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

The President of Sevilla has apparently informed us that they have rejected a £14m, plus add-ons, bid for their prolific striker, Alvaro Negredo. Simultaneously, the Mirror Sports inform us that Andy Carroll wants a £100,000 a week wage deal to join West Ham. The alleged offer for Negredo has been interpreted in some quarters as the club exploring other options in case personal terms cannot be agreed with Carroll. Is it true? I have no doubt that West Ham are looking at possible alternative options, which is only sensible, but I do doubt that they have yet given up on landing Carroll. It would be surprising if Andy Carroll had adopted that negotiating position, considering that he has no future at Liverpool, no other clubs have expressed an interest and West Ham is his only current viable option. Knowing the source of this story, it is more than possible that it is inaccurate. Regardless, as always, time will tell because if Carroll is demanding £100,000 a week I doubt that a deal will be agreed. If he signs it will probably be proven groundless. But even if it is not £100,000 a week, the club are likely to have to match the reported £80,000 a week deal that he currently has with Liverpool. And that is a major financial commitment for the club at present, but one that they may well conclude is necessary to secure Carroll and help the club progress.

I do wonder if any list of alternatives includes Blackburn Rovers marksman, Jordan Rhodes. If one word describes Rhodes it is most definitely 'prolific.' He followed up on his 2011-12 goal feast at League 1 Huddersfield Town with 25 goals last season at Championship Blackburn Rovers. Remember, Blackburn Rovers struggled, yet he still scored that many goals in a relatively poor team. Similarly, he has also been capped by Scotland and has regularly hit the back of the net at international level. That is another very good indicator of his future potential. Imagine what Rhodes could achieve in a Premier League side, with better players and service? Perhaps he will stay at Blackburn Rovers and spearhead their resurgence? Otherwise, a PL club will bid for him sooner or later, and that club could be richly rewarded with a player capable of consistently scoring 15-20 goals a season. A rare and precious commodity these days! Even if Carroll signs, West Ham might be well advised to improve our striking options by also signing Rhodes. At an estimated c.£8m fee, he could well prove to be a bargain! And perhaps we could even oil the wheels of a deal with Blackburn by including one or two of our 'surplus to requirement's squad players as part of it?

Elsewhere, one wonders if the proposed transfer of Adrian been concluded yet? We presently only have the Sports Mail's confirmation that it has! So, best to wait until it is confirmed on the official club site as a done deal. However, the arrival of Adrian, or another experienced keeper, is likely spell the end of Stephen Henderson's time at the club. Thankfully, David Gold has swiftly moved to squash the Tomkins to Newcastle Utd rumours. His twitter response is sweet music to all Hammers fans ears, that 'West Ham are no longer a selling club.' With Reid, Tomkins, Collins and the emerging Leo Chambers, we are well covered in central defence. If we choose to bring in another Alou Diarra type player, who plays holding midfield and can be deployed as a utility centre back then so much the better. And Bordeaux's Ludovic Sane fits that bill very well.

Finally, talking of Diarra, he was reported in the French press as having some harsh things to say about his time at West Ham. More recent press reports have suggested that Diarra may now be seeking to rebuild bridges with the club and facilitate a return to the club next season. Personally, I think it is probably a bit too late for a reconciliation, which is a shame because Diarra did well when he eventually got over his injury problem and played as midfield anchor. As suggested above, Ludovic Sane could be a good alternative. And if Diarra was included in any deal with Bordeaux for the services of the Senegalese international, then that could prove to be an excellent bit of transfer business. Especially if it is true that Sane is entering the final year of his current contract, something that would make him decidedly more affordable.

SJ. Chandos.

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Liverpool's Andy Carroll wants pay-rise to £100,000-a-week to sign for West Ham
4 Jun 2013 22:31
The Mirrro

Andy Carroll wants a whopping pay rise to £100,000-a-week to complete his £15.5million move from Liverpool for West Ham. The 24-year-old England striker has had his £80,000-a-week Anfield salary paid by the Hammers during his season-long loan at Upton Park. But Carroll - who is out injured for up to four months - now wants £20,000-a-week on top of that if he is to make a permanent summer move out of Anfield to east London. West Ham do want to keep Carroll, and agreed his transfer fee three weeks ago with Liverpool - who will be taking a £20million loss on the £35m they paid Newcastle for him in January 2011. But Carroll then asked for time to think the move over, hoping Newcastle would enter the bidding. Instead, the Magpies made it clear they had no interest in re-signing the frontman. Carroll was then ruled out for up to four months because of an ankle injury. West Ham held out for an answer, however, and were told this week that he is ready to move to east London if he gets a six-figure pay packet. The Hammers are hoping to come to a compromise as they are unwilling to meet such high wage demands and a deal is expected to be completed by the end of the week.

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West Ham land keeper Adrian but Sevilla knock back £14.5m bid for striker Negredo
CityAM
by Frank Dalleres
June 5, 2013, 1:06am

WEST Ham have bolstered their goalkeeping options by signing Spanish stopper Adrian but failed in another raid on La Liga after it emerged Sevilla rejected their interest in striker Alvaro Negredo.

Adrian, who is likely to serve as an understudy to first-choice Hammers stopper Jussi Jaaskelainen, completed his free transfer yesterday after flying to England for a medical earlier this week.

The 26-year-old only cemented his position in the Primera Division side last season, but went on to play 32 games, conceding 46 times. Negredo, meanwhile, will not be following his countryman from Andalucia to east London after Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido said he had rejected a £14.5m bid from West Ham for the Spain international.

The 27-year-old scored 31 goals last season but Del Nido insisted they did not need to sell their top marksman, having struck a £17m deal to sell winger Jesus Navas to Manchester City.

"He has four years left on his contract. He is at home here. He has scored a lot of goals and delighted us with his football," Del Nido said of Negredo.

"The summer will tell us in due course if he will still be with us, but if you ask my opinion I'd rather there were no bids. West Ham offered €17m (£14.5m) in cash with more in incentives but we do not value the offer and the player refused."

West Ham's failure to lure Negredo, who has scored six goals in 14 international appearances for the world and European champions, is expected to see them redouble efforts to make Andy Carroll's move permanent.

England forward Carroll spent last season on loan from Liverpool and the Hammers are keen to buy the 24-year-old for a club record-smashing £15m.

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WEST HAM TOLD TO COUGH UP FOR CELTIC STRIKER GARY HOOPER
Daily Star
5th June 2013 By Tim Gray

WEST HAM have been told they won't get Celtic striker Gary Hooper on the cheap. The Hammers have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old, who has hit 63 goals in 90 starts. Celtic are desperate to keep their £10m-rated star forward, but know that a chance for him to move to the Premier League could be too tempting. And boss Neil Lennon has warned any possible bidders they will need to dig deep to land Hooper. He said: "He is a pivotal player for us, he is a masterful player, he has really developed into a top-class striker. "He is a brilliant young English player. We would love to hold on to him, it is a priority for me, but if we get a bid in that is good business for the club we may have to think again. "You don't want to see your best players go, but everyone has a selling point and we're no different to anyone else."

Lennon has also vowed to repel any Sunderland moves for Fraser Forster, who could be a replacement for Simon Mignolet. But Lennon said: "We signed him in the summer, he is not going anywhere. "He made his name at Celtic and has gone from third-choice goalkeeper at Newcastle to third-choice goalkeeper for England in a very short space of time."

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