Daily WHUFC News - 28th May 2017

Cresswell targets more caps
WHUFC.com

The season might be over for the majority of West Ham United's players, but
Aaron Cresswell still has a couple of big targets for 2016/17. Having been
called into the England squad for a FIFA World Cup Qualifier against
Scotland and a friendly in Paris against France at the start of next month,
there is still plenty for the left-back to play for. Cresswell won his first
Three Lions cap in a 2-2 friendly draw with Spain last November and now has
his eyes on more appearances. He said: "I'm delighted to have got the call,
especially for such big games against Scotland and France. "Making my
England debut against Spain earlier in the season was such a proud moment
for me and my family and I'd love to earn more caps for my country. "It's up
to me to take my chance and I want to head to the training camp next Friday,
show what I can do and end the season on a high. "I can't wait to get
started and hopefully I can help England get a couple of great results."

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Zabaleta - I want to help the Hammers win trophies
WHUFC.com

Pablo Zabaleta has set his sights on winning trophies with West Ham United
after agreeing to join the Hammers. The Argentina full-back will link up
with his new Club on 1 July after a nine-year spell with Manchester City
which saw him lift six, including two Premier Leagues, two League Cups and
an FA Cup. In addition, the 32-year-old has reached both the FIFA World Cup
and Copa America finals with his country, having already captained Argentina
to FIFA World Youth Championship glory in 2005 and won the Spanish Copa del
Rey with Espanyol a year later. Zabaleta will continue his career in east
London after putting pen to paper on a two-year deal and hopes to celebrate
his move to east London by adding to his collection of winner's medals.

Pablo, we have seen you play at the highest level for club and country for
so many seasons, but you clearly feel you want to achieve more in your
career?

"Yes, of course. I'm not a young player, but sometimes in football it's all
about passion as well and that's something that I have still got inside me
as a football player, to keep enjoying this wonderful professional. "I've
been playing [a long time] and have experience in my whole career so it's
good to come here and use my experience to help the young lads to continue
to develop. I know West Ham is a great Club at working with its Academy and
we have seen so many players coming through to the first team, and so many
big names in the West Ham era. "That's why I'm so pleased and happy to be
part of that and I will try to give everything to make sure I can to help
the Club to make a step forward."

When someone like Pablo Zabaleta becomes available, many clubs will be
interested, so why did you choose West Ham United over your other potential
destinations?

"It is true that I got a few offers from clubs from Italy, some interest
also coming from Spain and also from England. "Of course that decision came
also by thinking about my family. I expressed myself to them that to keep
playing in the Premier League was a priority. I love the Premier League so
much. Of course West Ham has always been my first choice and the reason that
it is a fantastic Club and I have a lot of respect. "It was always hard
playing at West Ham away. They said that Upton Park was the home of West Ham
for so many years and it is now a new era in London Stadium, where when I
went to play my first game I thought the atmosphere was really good. That's
why I'm here. "I'm really happy, my family will also enjoy it and, as I say,
I'm very proud to remain in England to keep playing in this wonderful
league."

At Manchester City, you were used to playing to win every competition you
entered, but here our ambitions are slightly different, at least in the
short term, so have you spoken to the Club about the project?

"I met the Chairman [David Sullivan] once and I spoke to [manager] Slaven
[Bilic] a few times when we played against West Ham and he seems a really
nice person. "I know Manchester City had huge ambitions as a club and of
course we cannot compare both clubs at the moment, but in life you have to
believe. It's all about being positive, working hard and showing commitment
from the players and this is something we need to make sure we can dream
together with the fans. "It's time for this Football Club to have that
strong, winning mentality to believe that you can achieve important things.
"With domestic competitions, of course the Premier League is hard, but the
FA Cup and EFL Cup are about seven games, you need to perform well and it's
only one game at a time, and that's the right and winning mentality you need
to achieve. "This is something that I personally, from my point of view,
think West Ham need to believe. As players, we can give the fans something
to really enjoy. "The last FA Cup final was 2006 against Liverpool, that
game they lost on penalties, and it's been eleven years, so it's been a long
time and we need that confidence and that belief as players, fans, the Board
and everyone to make sure we can perform well enough to at least win
something in the next few years."

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Tottenham for Ross Barkley's signature
WEST HAM have emerged as major rivals to Tottenham for Everton and England
midfielder Ross Barkley.
Daily Star
By Paul Hetherington / Published 27th May 2017

The Daily Star Sunday has been told that Hammers boss Slaven Bilic will meet
Barkley's wage demands of £140k a week. That is just over double his current
pay packet. Everton and manager Ronald Koeman are preparing for his
departure after he failed to sign a new contract by the end of the season.
They have made it clear they are set to pay up to £35m for Swansea
midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, 27. And Everton are also weighing up a move to
bring back Wayne Rooney whose 1 3-year career at Manchester United is
expected to end this summer. Tottenham have set the pace in the race for
Barkley, 23, who has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford under boss
Jose Mourinho. Everton's valuation of £50m and the player's hefty wage
demands are seen as major stumbling blocks.
Barkley is keen on the prospect of joining Tottenham and linking up with his
close friend Dele Alli. He also sees a move there helping him regain his
England squad place. But West Ham are thinking big and want to make a
statement with flagship signings. They have already begun their summer
recruitment by signing right-back Pablo Zabaleta, 32, on a free transfer
from Manchester City – as predicted in the Daily Star Sunday two weeks ago.
Everton, meanwhile, are also keen on Ajax midfield ace Davy Klaassen, 24.
Klassen played in the 2-0 Europa League final defeat by United.

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West Ham submit bid for Kelechi Iheanacho with City demanding clause in any
sale
ByCity Watch
Posted on May 27, 2017

West Ham have submitted an offer for young Manchester City forward Kelechi
Iheanacho, who looks set to join the growing list of players leaving the
Etihad this summer. Considered to be the best West Ham news source around,
@ExWHUemployee says a bid has been made for 20-year-old Iheanacho, who
scored a penalty for Nigeria in a friendly against Corsica yesterday to earn
them a 1-1 draw.

Follow
ExWHUemployee @ExWHUemployee
We so far have no other bids accepted for any players although we had
submitted a bid for the Man City forward. It's still very early days
9:10 AM - 27 May 2017
37 37 Retweets 157 157 likes

City want to ensure a Paul Pogba type situation doesn't occur in future by
including a buy-back clause in any deal to sell Iheanacho, who is subject to
interest from a number of clubs across Europe.

Follow
ExWHUemployee @ExWHUemployee
It is true that Manchester City do want to insert a buy back clause into the
deal which is an indication of how much potential he has
10:10 AM - 27 May 2017
32 32 Retweets 106 106 likes

There are some reports from Nigeria that Iheanacho has already flown back to
England for a West Ham medical. And it does appear that is true.

Follow
MCFCReserves&Academy @MCFC_EDS_ACAD
For all you transfer rumour lovers Kelechi Iheanacho has just boarded my
flight back from Paris to Manchester
5:09 PM - 27 May 2017
99 99 Retweets 235 235 likes

There is also a possibility that other clubs could make offers for the
Nigerian striker, who is expected to fetch £20 million or more when sold
this summer.

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