Daily WHUFC News - 29th July 2017

Werder Bremen v West Ham: All you need to know
WHUFC.com

West Ham United play the first of three pre-season matches in Germany when they take on Werder Bremen in the opening half of a Betway Cup double-header on Friday evening. The Hammers will tackle their Bundesliga opponents at the Osterwald-Stadion in Schneverdingen - a town situated in the countryside 50 miles east of the city of Bremen, before moving on to Lohne to play them again on Saturday

Here, we let you know where to watch, who will be in action and much more about West Ham's third and fourth pre-season fixtures...

Where and when?

Werder Bremen v West Ham United, Friday 28 July 2017, 5.30pm BST, Osterwald-Stadion, Im Osterwald 1, 29640 Schneverdingen, Germany

Werder Bremen v West Ham United, Saturday 28 July 2017, 2.30pm BST, Heinz-Dettmer-Stadion, Steinfelder Str. 5, 49393 Südlohne, Germany

Where to watch?

Fans can follow the game on Twitter at @westhamutd. A full report, reaction and highlights will be available on whufc.com. Friday's match will also be shown live by Premier Sports from 5.30pm, and Saturday's from 2.30pm.

Matchday squads

Werder Bremen: Pavlenka, Zetterer, Drobny, Caldriola, Bauer, Augustinsson, Moisander, Garcia, Gebre Selassie, Sane, Delaney, Kainz, Gondorf, Johansson, Veljkovic, Hajrovic, Junuzovic, Bartels, Petsos, Yatabare, Eggestein, Bargfrede, Johannsson, Kruse, Zhang, Eggestein

West Ham United: Adrian, Hart, Anang, Matrevics, Byram, Zabaleta, Cresswell, Masuaku, Collins, Ogbonna, Fonte, Reid, Burke, Rice, Makasi, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Obiang, Noble, Fernandes, Cullen, Holland, Arnautovic, Ayew, Martinez

Team news

West Ham United and their hosts Werder Bremen have agreed that both clubs will field their players in 60-30 minute splits, meaning eleven players will play for an hour on Friday, with the eleven who replace them then playing for an hour on Saturday afternoon. Slaven Bilic has confirmed that Friday's game has come too early for Chicharito, who only arrived in Germany on Thursday. Sofiane Feghouli is also ruled out through injury, while Andy Carroll (hip) and Michail Antonio (hamstring) are back in England. Marko Arnautovic could make his first appearance in Claret and Blue against the club he represented between 2010-13.

Meet the opposition

SV Werder Bremen are one of the traditional giants of German football, having won the Bundesliga on four occasions - the last coming in 2004 - and lifted the German Cup on seven occasions. They also, like the Hammers, have won the European Cup Winners' Cup once, back in 1992.

However, the Die Werderaner have endured leaner times in recent seasons, not finishing above eighth since the 2009/10 season, when they were third. Now coached by former Werder youth-team player and reserve-team coach Alexander Nouri, Bremen finished eighth last season after overcoming an indifferent start.

The club's cosmopolitan squad contains players from 15 different nations, including Germany striker Max Kruse and highly-rated Danish midfielder Thomas Delaney.

Player to watch

Versatile attacker Marko Arnautovic is set to make his first appearance in a West Ham United shirt after completing his Club-record move from Premier League rivals Stoke City last weekend.

The 28-year-old will be appearing against one of his former clubs in German Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen, with whom he spent three seasons between 2010-13, scoring 16 goals in 84 appearances in all competitions.

The Austria international left Werder for Stoke four years ago and continued to create and score goals on a regular basis. Now, he will attempt to do so in a Claret and Blue kit.

Previous visit

West Ham United have never visited Schneverdingen or Lohne before, but they have taken on Werder Bremen previously.

The first previous meeting came on 14 August 1984, when the Hammers were edged out 2-1 in a friendly played at Werder's Weser Stadion in Bremen. In July 2009, the pair were scheduled to meet again in a friendly in Austria, but the fixture was postponed due to torrential rain in the village of Bad Waltersdorf.

Finally, Werder became the final team to visit West Ham's Boleyn Ground for a pre-season friendly on 2 August 2015, overcoming Diafra Sakho's goal to win the Betway Cup courtesy of a 2-1 victory.

Did you know?

Slaven Bilic spent two-and-a-half years in Germany with Karlsruher SC. During that time, he played against Werder Bremen on four occasions, winning twice and losing twice

Marko Arnautovic and Werder Bremen captain Zlatko Junuzovic are Austria international teammates and appeared together at UEFA Euro 2016. Junuzovic is also the last player other than David Alaba to be named Austrian Footballer of the Year, doing so back in 2010!

Werder Bremen legend Horst-Dieter Höttges started for West Germany in the 1966 FIFA World Cup final defeat by England at Wembley. Here he is putting in a challenge on Geoff Hurst in that game!

How to get there

By car, from the centre of Bremen it is a fairly simple 50-mile (85-kilometre) drive eastwards. Supporters should take the A1 motorway to exit 50 at Stuckenborstel, then follow the B75 toward Stuckenborstel/Ottersberg/Rotenburg/Sottrum. After 27 kilometres, turn right onto the K224, then left onto the K211. The road then changes name a number of times, from Alte Dorfstraße to Steinkampsweg to Lünzener Straße to Pappelallee, Alte Landstraße, Rotenburger Straße/L170 and finally Harburger Straße. By now, you have arrived in Schneverdingen, so turn right onto Oststraße, then almost immediately left into Osterwaldweg, and the ground will appear on the left-hand side!

If you'd rather take a train, it is a two-hour journey from Bremen via either Buchholz or Soltau. For timetable and ticket price details, click here.

How to buy tickets

Tickets for Friday night's game are priced at €15 for Adults and €10 for Concessions and will be available on the night at the Osterwald-Stadion. Alternatively, you can order your tickets online and print them out by ordering here.

It's a similar process for Saturday, with tickets for that match priced at €25 Adults and €15 Children in the seats, and €15 Adults and €5 Children for standing.

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Andre Ayew: Full pre-season will help me reach top form
WHUFC.com

Andre Ayew is hoping a full pre-season will help him pick up where he left off when the Premier Legaue campaign begins. West Ham United's Ghana international forward ended 2016/17 in fine form, scoring five goals in the 13 appearances he made after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in mid-February. Indeed, Ayew admits he would rather the season had not ended when it did, with his winning goal in a 2-1 victory at Burnley in May. Now, after a summer virtually free of international commitments, the 27-year-old believes spending the whole of July with his club-mates will stand him in good stead come 13 August. "I'm feeling good and working hard. We had long days in Austria and now we're just at the beginning in Germany and we have a few games to come," he told West Ham TV. "We're working hard here, trying to get fit, working together and getting to know each other, so it's sweet." "Pre-season is something which is very, very important and, for me, I've not been able to have a real pre-season for a long time because of the international games. "I have always been coming back later, so to start the pre-season with the squad is quite good. I think I'm going to have a month or more with the squad before the pre-season starts so it's a good opportunity for me to get myself back together and to feel good before the season."

Ayew's form over the closing months of last season marked him out as, arguably, West Ham's most-effective attacking player. However, the No20 sets high standards for himself and believes there is even more to come should he avoid the misfortune of an injury like the groin problem he suffered at Chelsea on the opening day of last term. "I think I was getting there [to my best form]," he confirmed. "It was not my optimum, but I was getting there bit by bit by playing games. For me, it was a shame the season came to an end because I was starting to feel better after my injury." With a decade of experience at the highest level behind him, Ayew is savvy enough not to be drawn into setting exact targets for himself or for the team, instead urging the Hammers to 'stay humble' and approach a testing Premier League campaign one game at a time. However, it would certainly be fair to say that he is feeling optimistic. "We have another season coming up and we have a lot of objectives ahead of us that we want to achieve as a squad," he concluded. "So, I need to continue working hard and doing what we were doing at the end of last season and I'm sure I will get back to my best physically and everything will be OK."

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Ashley Fletcher moves to Middlesbrough
WHUFC.com

West Ham United can confirm that striker Ashley Fletcher has completed a move to Championship side Middlesbrough for a fee of £6.5m. The 21-year-old Yorkshireman spent a season with the Hammers after joining from Manchester United in summer 2016, scoring once in 20 first team appearances. That goal came back at his first club, Manchester United, in an EFL Cup quarter-final defeat, while he played 16 times in the Premier League, with 14 of those outings coming from the bench. He also scored three goals and provided two assists in ten Premier League 2 games, helping the Club's U23 side gain promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1. Fletcher joins another former Hammer, Darren Randolph, on Teesside and manager Slaven Bilic said: "We got a fantastic offer for Ashley and ideally I wanted to help him with a different kind of scenario, but at the end of the day the offer was so good for the Club and for him personally. "I spoke to him on Wednesday night and I told him to be proud of the step that he made since coming to West Ham last year to being a player that a lot of clubs from the Championship are asking for. "To make such a big step is a big bonus for him and a big thing for him. He's very young, very promising, a great lad and a great trainer, so he can improve a lot."

Everyone at West Ham United would like to wish Ashley a happy and successful future with Middlesbrough FC.

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Team news: Academy stars given opportunity to shine in Germany
WHUFC.com

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has handed starts to a host of promising Academy prospects in tonight's Betway Cup clash with Werder Bremen.

Bilic has picked no fewer than six players aged 21 or under for the Hammers' third pre-season fixture, which will kick-off in the German town of Schneverdingen at 5.30pm BST. For full details of how to follow the action live, click here.

Adrian starts in goal, with a back four of Sam Byram, Reece Burke, James Collins and Aaron Cresswell.

Eighteen-year-old Declan Rice anchors the midfielder behind captain Mark Noble and fellow Academy of Football graduate Josh Cullen, with the exciting Nathan Holland and Moses Makasi supporting centre forward Toni Martinez.

The substitutes, who are expected to be introduced after 60 minutes and to start Saturday afternoon's second Betway Cup fixture with Werder Bremen in Lohne include summer signings Joe Hart and Marko Arnautovic, both of whom will make their debuts.

Pablo Zabaleta and Arthur Masuaku will replace the full-backs, while Jose Fonte and Angelo Ogbonna are set to come in at the heart of the defence.

Further forward, Pedro Obiang and Edimilson Fernandes will be introduced in midfield, with Robert Snodgrass, Arnautovic and Andre Ayew set to appear in the four forward positions.

Slaven Bilic will be without Manuel Lanzini, who has a minor knee injury which is being monitored, and Sofiane Feghouli, who has returned for England to receive treatment for a hamstring problem.

Three other absentees, Winston Reid, Diafra Sakho and Chicharito, are all working their way back to full fitness.

Michail Antonio (hamstring) and Andy Carroll (hip) are continuing their own rehab work at Rush Green.

West Ham United: Adrian, Byram, Burke, Collins, Cresswell, Rice, Noble ©, Cullen, Holland, Makasi, Martinez

Subs: Hart (GK), Zabaleta, Masuaku, Fonte, Ogbonna, Obiang, Snodgrass, Arnautovic, Fernandes, Ayew

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The long and the short of the transfer circus
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 28th July 2017
By: Paul Walker

Short-termism is the new buzz word, and even our gloriously stocky leader David Sullivan admits it's not the way he would want to do business.

My equally gloriously named colleague here on KUMB, Head Hammer Shark produced a near suicidal and very personal view this week on the state of the club he--and me too--have devoted our lives too.

And then Sullivan admits on his TalkSport interview that short-termism is not the way he would wish to work in the transfer market, but it's what Slaven Bilic, quiet rightly in my view, wants to give us--a mid-table Premier League side with airy fairy delusions of grandeur --the best chance of survival in an industry that if you get it wrong means you end up like Blackburn, Portsmouth, Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Charlton or QPR--financially shafted with no way back to the big time.

Our old friend Jacob Steinberg on the Guardian picked up on Sullivan's comments, and his genuine doubts about the long term aspects of our summer of rebuilding. And no doubt he had seen, as the true West Ham fan he is, HHS's piece and the statistics he based his hugely depressing blog on.

Sullivan's radio interviewing was an interesting assessment of how we are, and who we are. He is not my favourite club owner, as one or two of you might have noticed. Personally I dislike the way he made his money, but that's probably my ageing prudishness. And I don't like too much the ferocious way the move from the Boleyn was driven from Sully and our board.

But equally, I see no point now in dwelling on something we cannot do anything about. The old ground has gone, we are lumbered with the new one and folk have had to decide whether they are West Ham fans whatever, or they are not any longer.

The chance of a short term answer, with a newly built, sparkling supposed state of the art stadium was the blindingly obvious way forward for the chuckle brothers and ' four jobs' Karren.(sure you can all work that one out!)

But in terms of the transfer market, he's damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. His quotes from TalkSport spelt out exactly the problem. He said: "We had a policy up to now to buy players for tomorrow not today. But we made a decision with the manager to buy players proven in the Premier League.

"Players have been here before, and who are of an age where they're not being bought for tomorrow--but today.

"Long term is not a great strategy, but short term it is. Hopefully we'll buy one or two more players , investments for the future, while at the same time doing what is best for the club."

The choice is one I have been banging on about for some time. We cannot buy top-of-the range talent at £50m or so because they won't come to us while we are not in Europe and giving them a clear path to the riches of Champions League participation.

The very best young talent will always look higher than us. It's also not the best idea, as last summer proved, to risk big money on foreign players who end up being overwhelmed by the intensity and physicality of the Premier League.

You have Sullivan now admitting that Simone Zaza seemed indifferent. That Jonathan Calleri was out of his depth. The others he bought last summer were just not up to standard. That policy almost saw us relegated and the great master plan of our owners going the way of Tony Fernandes' money at QPR.

We are trapped now in short-termism. We have to survive, season after season, in the top flight to keep the Sky money pouring in. Anything else will be a disaster of Leeds proportions.

But even now we have made four signings that are all gambles. We are being told that we should be grateful for Sullivan's work, that we have signed top players. That he is some sort of a hero.

Now my heroes are Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Johnny Byrne, Tony Cottee, Trevor Brooking, Billy Bonds, Alan Devonshire. You get the point, club owners need not apply, just do your job properly with dignity and acquired respect.

I am more relieved than grateful, because we have signed players I know are good professionals. That they are all on the downward slope from the very peak of their careers is another matter.

That is the consequences of who we are. Even with a fraud of a new stadium, one that was not fit for purpose last season in reality, we are still forced into a market that means we have to take risks. We are not able to spend £150m on three full-backs, one of whom can't cross a ball to save his life!

All the new boys are an improvement on what we had previously. Pablo Zabaleta has been one of the best left-backs in the world. We will see whether his legs have gone like Alvaro Arbeloa. I don't think so, however.

He may not have been quick enough for Pep Guardiola's idealistic approach to the game, but he'll do OK for us.

Much the same applies to Joe Hart. I hope we see the 'keeper of two years ago, but one who had his confidence shot to pieces when Guardiolo told him he could not play sweeper and had to go. If Joe wants to go to the World Cup he has to hit the ground running with us, be commanding and keep clean sheets. His situation should have cleared his mind for the challenge ahead.

Then we have the maverick Marko Arnautovic. He has been good enough to play for Inter Milan under Jose Mourinho, who described him as a fine player but with the attitude of a child. He should get on well with Andy Carroll then!

There is great talent there but he has a 'crime sheet' that would shock even Neil Ruddock, and that says something.

Up front we now have Javier Hernandez, a lovely finisher in the Jermain Defoe category, but who struggled to head the line at Manchester United when strength and power were the bye-word for top flight strikers.

So all gambles and all with something to prove. It should be fun, and I genuinely respect the work done by Sullivan and his transfer team in getting players like this to the London Stadium. They are the best of the bracket we are dealing in.

And at their age, they are for the short term. We need to survive, season on season. We need to establish ourselves in the top half like Everton have done. We need to put clear water between ourselves and Southampton, Stoke, West Brom,Swansea and now Newcastle.

That's why short-termism is the only way for Sullivan and Bilic to go. Anything else leaves us wide-open to constant battles with relegation. Experience goes a long way, and as David Gold says..you don't win anything with kids.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.

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West Ham determined to keep Manuel Lanzini and will resist any Liverpool approach
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

West Ham are adamant they will strongly resist any interest from Liverpool for their playmaker Manuel Lanzini. Speculation has been growing in Merseyside that Barcelona are preparing an £80million bid for Liverpool's Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho and that, should he go, Lanzini would be in the frame as a replacement.
Liverpool want to keep Coutinho but if he leaves, the money received would give them the opportunity to move for Lanzini. However, West Ham are determined to keep the 24-year-old, who is called 'The Jewel', particularly because they have signed players of the quality of Javier Hernandez, Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Marko Arnautovic in this transfer window. Selling Lanzini would send out the wrong message after the club worked to strengthen their squad. Lanzini has become a firm favourite of the West Ham fans since he arrived, initially on loan, from UAE Arabian Gulf team Al Jazira two years ago and his profile has risen even more, following the departure of Dimitri Payet in January.

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WHY LOSING LANZINI WOULD RUIN OUR TRANSFER WINDOW
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 27 JULY 2017 AT 10:18PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by FrankieLevin @frankWHUFC

It has been an interesting transfer window for most West Ham fans so far to say the least, but the uncertainty surrounding Manuel Lanzini has left a few fans on edge.

We have already managed to capture a prolific goal scorer in Javier Hernandez, who has experienced success in three different leagues, and with his proven track record in the premier league; it is definitely a time to get excited if you are a hammer.

The additions of Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and Pablo Zabaleta have also significantly bolstered our starting XI, again giving us as fans more reason to be optimistic going into the season.

Although all of these signings have felt like a dream come true, if we were to let our best player in Lanzini go, it would, in my opinion, ruin everything we have done so far.

The Argentine has established himself as our main man since the departure of a certain someone, and he has handled the pressure that this adds with real confidence, managing to score 8 goals and grab 2 assists last season.

This window has brought a lot of faith to many hammers, but again, losing Lanzini would completely disassemble the point of our project;, which of course is to gradually progress as a side and develop our team from strength to strength.

I cannot speak for every fan, but to even think about selling such an exciting project would confuse me, especially with Slaven Bilic wanting to build a team around the argentine.

It does appear that Lanzini is very happy at the club, but the longer we don't offer him a new contract, the more chance he has of changing his mind. In my opinion, keeping Lanzini and making a statement to other clubs that we are not interested in selling our best players would have a bigger impact on our club than most people realise. What is the point of getting these players in if we are just going to sell?

To put it into simple terms, Lanzini is literally 'priceless' and should not be sold for any figure. Keeping him and tying him down to a new contract would be one of the best deals we have done this summer transfer window, and that is saying something because is has been remarkable!

As to what we can do as a team next season, that question remains an intriguing one, as it all depends on how well our new signings do, especially Chicharito. We have improved every position that needed improving the most, which is what has delighted the fans the most, and as to what we should be targeting this season, it would be pushing for Europa League.

It would take some season to break into the top 7, but all of this ambition and excitement would be worthless if we lost Lanzini.

He is something we have lacked at West Ham for years, so we need to keep hold of him, prove to him that we are a club progressing, and make him feel as if he has a big part to play in the future of this football club.

COYI

Frankie Levin, @FrankWHUFC

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West Ham's impressive transfer drive brings steel as club lean on experience to rival Premier League elite
JOHN DILLON
Evening Standard

There is a renewed sense of optimism among West Ham fans this pre-season and it's easy to see why. Yes, you've guessed it. For the first time in three summers, they don't have to play Astra Giurgiu, the tiny Romanian club who knocked the Hammers out of the Europa League's qualifying rounds, not just once but twice in succession. Now that's what you call a bogey team. Tottenham fans talk about things being "Spursy," as a way of suggesting they have their own unique way of messing things up. They don't know the half of it. Not when compared to West Ham, the club who, for just one haphazard example among many, knocked themselves out of the League Cup in 1999 for fielding an ineligible substitute, Manny Ominyinmi, in a quarter-final they won against Aston Villa – only to lose the replay which was subsequently ordered. Beat that, Spurs.
Actually, the real cause for optimism around the club as they prepare to face Werder Bremen on Friday and again on Saturday is the fact that undeniably, they have enjoyed a very good transfer window so far.

Jose Mourinho, the Manchester United boss, has even suggested there might be a title challenge stirring in east London after the arrivals of Javier Hernandez, Marko Arnautovic, Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta. To which you have to say – steady on Special One, even if the compliment does underline the point that David Sullivan has done good business this summer.

A key point about these four major signings is that Slaven Bilic's side have added a healthy dose of muscularity to their side, particularly in the form of the powerful Arnautovic and the wizened old Argentine full-back Zabaleta.

The club made 13 signings in the previous pre-season, including the £20 million then record purchase of Andre Ayew – and the recruitment spree actually weakened the squad after the seventh place finish in 2015/16, the last campaign at Upton Park.

The team looked feeble going forward, both physically and mentally – the presence of Michail Antonio apart. The perpetual injury troubles of Andy Carroll, a hugely imposing figure at his best, stood as a metaphor for this strange, vague sense of vapidity which infected the side so often.

The muted atmosphere of the London Stadium added to this sense, too. And after humiliating home defeats by Arsenal and Manchester City – twice – the campaign ended at home with an utterly enfeebled and humiliating 4-0 thrashing by Liverpool, with the place half-empty long before the end.

So it's vital that West Ham are stronger in body and mind next season.

That is why the robustness of players like Arnautovic and Zabaleta should be particularly welcomed by Hammers fans.

Meanwhile, Hart is hugely experienced and a proven winner. And Hernandez's goal-scoring record is impressively metronomical. In purely league terms, he scored 37 times in 54 appearances at Manchester United, 28 in 45 at his most recent club, Bayer Leverkusen, and seven in 16 while on loan at Real Madrid. That is devastating form.

Some say that at 29, the Mexican "Chicharito," is symbolic of the fact that West Ham have bought "old," this time around, with Arnautovic 28, Hart, 30, and Zabaleta aged 32.

Forget that.

The age of long-term thinking in the Premier League is more or less over for most clubs. Team-building is all about buying experience and seasoning for the here and now. It's the only realistic way clubs like West Ham can even think about competing against the financial might of the elite.

It is why the Hammers have let Ashley Fletcher leave for Middlesbrough and sent Reece Oxford on loan to Borussia Moenchengladbach while admitting that from now, its going to be extremely difficult for any youngsters to break into the side.

Another thing that might help the club now, too, is a period of silence from the boardroom – when the club can let its impressive transfer work do the talking, so to speak.

The move into the new ground last season was a difficult one. It wasn't helped by the fact that there several pronouncements from the club hierarchy which infuriated the supporters.

There has been a potential spat with Stoke City following the signing of Arnuatovic, with his former club's owner, Peter Coates accusing him of disloyalty after his career was resurrected in the Potteries.

Thankfully, West Ham's talkative owners didn't respond – perhaps surmising that Aranuatovic's departure from Stoke mirrored that of Dimitri Payet from West Ham last season in the way that it simply reflected the ways of modern football.

Of course, there is one twist to the beginning of the new campaign which fits in with the Hammers' long-standing capacity for hampering themselves with unique forms of bother.

Because the World Athletics Championships take place at the London Stadium in August, the first three Premier League games will have to be played away from home while the arena is reconfigured.

If they had reached the current Europa League qualifying rounds again, they presumably wouldn't even have been able to play at home at all.

It may be a handicap that the first three competitive games are all on the road. It may not.

But things could be worse.

After all, West Ham could be playing Astra Giurgiu once again. And that really would be something to worry about.

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Manuel Lanzini out of West Ham's Werder Bremen friendlies
Last Updated: 28/07/17 10:31am
SSN

Manuel Lanzini will sit out West Ham's friendly double-header against Werder Bremen with a knee injury. The Argentine is currently restricted to gym work on the club's pre-season tour of Germany but is expected back in training after the weekend. Sofiane Feghouli has returned to London for treatment on an unspecified problem, while the first of the two Bremen games on Friday night comes too soon for new signing Javier Hernandez. The £16m striker did not join up with the squad until Thursday, but £25m signing Marko Arnautovic is ready to play and Angelo Ogbonna is back in training. West Ham play Bremen on Friday and Saturday before taking on Altona 93 on Tuesday.

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Ashley Fletcher completes £6.5m transfer to Middlesbrough from West Ham
VAISHALI BHARDWAJ
Evening Standard

Ashley Fletcher has completed his £6.5million move from West Ham to Championship side Middlesbrough. The striker was given permission to fly back to England from the Hammers' training camp in Germany on Thursday to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms with Garry Monk's side. After doing both of those on Friday, Fletcher put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Boro to bring an end to his single season at West Ham. Fletcher only joined the east London side last summer following the expiry of his deal at Manchester United, and went on to score one goal against his former side in the EFL Cup quarter-final. He found game time hard to come by, however, and fell further down the pecking order when West Ham signed striker Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this week and Marko Arnautovic from Stoke City in a club-record deal

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Javier Hernandez chose West Ham above Spain and Italy offers
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 28/07/17 1:32pm
SSN

Javier Hernandez has revealed he turned down offers from Spain and Italy to return to "the best league in the world". Hernandez this week completed a £16m move to West Ham two years since he left Manchester United for German club Bayer Leverkusen after a year on loan at Real Madrid. Both Leverkusen and Real signed the Mexico striker on deadline day, but Hernandez now has two weeks to acclimatise before facing old club United on the opening weekend, live on Sky Sports Premier League. The Mexico striker trained with his new team-mates on their pre-season tour of Germany on Friday and afterwards told Sky Sports News how West Ham's ambition lured him back to the Premier League. "It was a little bit simple really," Hernandez said. "I'm in the best league in the world and West Ham showed me a lot of confidence and trust. "West Ham is showing more ambition compared to the last seasons. They want to qualify for Europe, you can see that in the transfer window. That's why I'm here. "They're one of the most historic teams in England, very ambitious this season and hopefully we can achieve our goals. "There were other options - one in Spain and two in Italy. The last two transfers I made on the last day, this time it was more calm and easy. Thankfully I'm where I want to be."

Hernandez's goals helped United to the title in 2011 and 2013, and speaking about that Super Sunday opener he said: "I'm going back to my old club - my old house - and it's going to be very special. "But I'm defending other colours now. I want to help my team win three points and start the season on the right foot."

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Slaven Bilic hopeful Adrian will stay at West Ham amid Crystal Palace interest
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

Slaven Bilic remains hopeful of persuading goalkeeper Adrian to stay at the West Ham. The 30-year-old faces a fight for a regular starting role at the London Stadium following the arrival of Joe Hart on loan from Manchester City. Adrian is reportedly unhappy at the prospect of his game time being limited this season and Crystal Palace and Newcastle are interested in signing the 30-year-old. Bilic, though, wants the Spaniard to stay and fight for his place. The West Ham manager will start the season without Michail Antonio, who is recovering ahead of schedule from a hamstring surgery. Both Antonio and team-mate Andy Carroll, who is sidelined with a long-term injury, were left out of the squad for pre-season tours of Austria and Germany. Bilic was less optimistic about Carroll, who has featured only 12 times for the club in 2017. The 28-year-old England international struggled with groin and knee issues for the majority of last season

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WEST HAM KEEN TO KEEP LANZINI AND RESIST LIVERPOOL APPROACH
ABDULLAH MULLA @AbzMulla6
ReadWestHam

West Ham United are determined to keep hold of their star playmaker Manuel Lanzini and will strongly resist any approach from Premier League rivals Liverpool for the Argentine, according to a report on the Evening Standard. Lanzini has stepped up since the departure of Frenchman Dimitri Payet and has become the key man for the Hammers. His eye for a killer pass as well as for goal has become noticed and Liverpool have been reported to be lining him up to replace Philippe Coutinho should he leave Anfield this summer. The 24-year-old has become a fan favourite at the Hammers and with manager Slaven Bilic strengthening the squad well, there is no way that they will let Lanzini go as they prepare to challenge for a European spot this season. The attacking midfielder managed to get his name on the scoresheet eight times last season and also registered two assists but he will be hoping for a lot more in the upcoming season.
There is reason to be excited for West Ham fans as Bilic looks to have assembled a lethal attack by adding Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez to his squad to work alongside Lanzini. The London club have issued a warning to Liverpool to look elsewhere for a replacement for Coutinho as Lanzini is definitely not for sale.

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West Ham provide injury update on Manuel Lanzini for Betway Cup clashes as Javier Hernandez trains for first time
The Argentinian midfielder is likely to be out short term
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
10:34, 28 JUL 2017

Manuel Lanzini is undergoing treatment for an injury which was confirmed by West Ham today [Thursday]. The Argentine star is at the Hammers training base in Rotenburg today but is not part of the main squad as he gets treatment and does gym work inside. Angelo Ogbonna has returned to training after picking up a slight tweak in his previously injured knee but appears to be showing no ill-effects so far. Sofiane Feghouli, who has yet to train on the trip to Germany, won't do so anymore as he has left the camp and headed to France for treatment on a muscle problem. Javier Hernandez trained with the Hammers for the first time this morning but was taken aside for the majority of it to run through some fitness tests to ascertain his current level of fitness. The Hammers will have just one day of training before they take on Werder Bremen for the first leg of the Betway Cup in Schneverdingen tonight (5.30pm BST).

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WEST HAM'S JAVIER HERNANDEZ IS OUR PREMIER LEAGUE SIGNING OF THE WEEK
Ladbrokes.com
28 July 2017

West Ham's acquisition of Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen is our Premier League Signing of the Week. The Mexican is back in England following an impressive stint in the Bundesliga, and he's ready to pop up in Premier League boxes up and down the land. It's a deal that should have the approval of Hammers fans, and for good reason. Though he's been away for two years, Hernandez still boasts the fifth-best goals-per-minute ratio in Premier League history. Whichever way you look at it, Chicharito knows where the back of the net is. Current Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has repeatedly expressed his annoyance that 'Little Pea' isn't still at Old Trafford – high praise indeed. Hernandez arrives in East London having netted 39 goals in 76 appearances for Leverkusen. And he hit double figures in each of his three campaigns under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, before his role was greatly reduced in the David Moyes and Van Gaal eras.
Despite that, total figures of 59 goals from 157 (largely substitute) appearances are more than respectable.
With West Ham already boasting target men in the shape of Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio, Hernandez will be free to dart around in the area, picking up any loose balls and causing mayhem for defenders. It's a system that should put the Hammers in very good stead this term. And the best part of this deal? The price tag! That's the clincher for us. In this crazy summer where money has entered new levels of madness, West Ham have snapped up a proven Premier League goalscorer for just £13m. It could be the Premier League signing of the entire summer, let alone the week.

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Ghanaian shot-stopper Joseph Annang nears West Ham switch
Published on: 28 July 2017
Ghanasoccernet.com

Young agile goalkeeper Joseph Annang is close to sealing a move to English Premiership side West Ham United following superb two-week trial, according to reports in the UK. According to reports, the 19-year-old is on the verge of becoming Slaven Bilic's fifth signing of the ongoing summer transfer window after excelling in a two-week trial. The highly rated shot-stopper had a remarkable outing for east London club during a recent pre-season friendly for the club's U23s team against Dagenham and Redbridge. The Hammers are looking to sign a back-up goalkeeper for Joe Hart and Adrian Castillo after Darren Randolph left to join Championship side Middlesbrough last week.

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West Ham wrap up fifth transfer of the summer as Ghanaian wonderkid signs for Hammers - report
The latest West Ham transfer news sees the Hammers reportedly sign goalkeeper Joseph Anang
Football London
BYKEVIN BEIRNE
06:30, 28 JUL 2017

Joseph Anang will be West Ham's fifth signing of the summer transfer window after impressing on trial for the Hammers, according to reports in his native Ghana.
The 19-year-old goalkeeper was given a run out for the east London club during a recent pre-season friendly for the club's U23s team against Dagenham and Redbridge, and Slaven Bilic and co have clearly enjoyed what they have seen. According to Ghanaian publication Kickgh.com, the Hammers have offered a contract to the young keeper and are waiting on international clearance before officially confirming a deal. Anang will be the Hammer's second new goalkeeper of the summer, after brining in Joe Hart on a season-long loan from Manchester City. Hart's arrival meant the end of Darren Randolph's West Ham career, as he joined the recently relegated Middlesbrough in order to improve his chances of making the Republic of Ireland squad next summer, should they qualify for the upcoming World Cup in Russia. Adrian, meanwhile, continues to be tracked by the likes of Newcastle as he searches for a guaranteed starting spot.

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West Ham transfer news: Club could complete deals in next few days - Twitter insider
WEST HAM could complete deals to sell players in the new few days.
By JACK WILSON
PUBLISHED: 06:00, Fri, Jul 28, 2017
Express.co.uk

That's according to respected Twitter insider @ExWHUemployee, who has made several big transfer claims previously that have proved to be true. @ExWHUemployee is an established name in Hammers transfer news and he appears in a podcast talking about the club. He revealed on Twitter that a move for Joe Hart was on the cards - weeks before it happened. In the latest podcast, he spoke about potential deals that could be done imminently. One user subsequently asked @ExWHUemployee on Twitter: "Am I right saying we're just looking at loans now?" But @ExWHUemployee responded: "Not necessarily! If we sell players, which we could in next (few) days, then we will have money." But deals for Celtic frontman Moussa Dembele, who has also been linked with Marseille, and Benfica striker Raul Jimenez appear to be off the cards. @ExWHUemployee tweeted yesterday: "Deals for Moussa Dembele and Raul Jimenez are unlikely to happen due to the high valuations from their clubs."
Robert Snodgrass and goalkeeper Adrian could be two of the players on their way out. The pair have fallen down the pecking order following the arrivals of Marko Arnautovic and Joe Hart this summer.

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Tottenham Hotspur reportedly monitoring West Ham United's Manuel Lanzini
HITC
Subhankar Mondal

Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing West Ham United's Manuel Lanzini in the summer transfer window. Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Manuel Lanzini from West Ham United in the summer transfer window, according to Bleacher Report. It has been reported that Tottenham have sounded out representatives to keep tabs on Lanzini's situation. Spurs' North London rivals Arsenal and Merseyside outfit Liverpool are also claimed to be interested in the 24-year-old attacking midfielder. Liverpool are reportedly looking at the Argentina international as a potential replacement for Philippe Coutinho, who is claimed to be on the radar of Spanish and European giants Barcelona. Manuel Lanzini of West Ham United celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium on May 5,...

"Liverpool were always keeping tabs on his situation, and it is understood both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have sounded out representatives to discover how Lanzini's situation may open up," states the report in Bleacher Report. "The player is happy to stay at West Ham but is aware other clubs have been watching him."
This is not the first time that North London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal have been linked with West Ham star Lanzini. Back in May, The Mirror claimed of Liverpool, Spurs and the Gunners' interest in the 24-year-old, with the report adding that West Ham want £30 million for him. The 24-year-old is one of the best players at West Ham and is one of the better attacking midfielders in the Premier League. The Argentina international scored eight goals and provided two assists in 31 league starts for the Hammers last season.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 28th July 2017

Winston Reid approaching return to full West Ham training
WHUFC.com

Winston Reid is 'on schedule' and hoping to return to full training with West Ham United soon. The centre-back missed the final two Premier League fixtures of last season to undergo surgery on a painful shin condition, but has put in the hard yards over the summer, with successful results. Reid travelled with the squad to Austria earlier this month and is stepping up his rehab work after arriving in Germany with his teammates on Monday afternoon. "Hopefully in the next week or so I should be back, which we were sort of aiming for," he revealed. "Generally, the rehab has been really good and the surgery has fixed the problem, which is the most important thing. I'll be able to go out there and play pain-free, which is a blessing. "It was just one of those things that you get every now and then. You get various knocks and bruises and you fix them and this one has been fixed now."

While his physical condition is forever improving, the New Zealand international is also feeling refreshed mentally after enjoying a relaxing family holiday during his month-long summer break. "You get to spend quality time with them and you do what your family wants to do, rather than perhaps what you would choose to do yourself!" said the No2, who took his wife and two young twins to the United States and the Caribbean. "It's just about going out and getting away from football because it can be a long old year, like the one we had last year, so it's good to go away and relax a little bit. "During the season you cannot escape football, especially around Christmas time, when you need to find that inner strength to push through. I'm used to it now, but it can be difficult for players when you first come from abroad. For that reason, a summer break is certainly good!"

The summer has also been marked by the arrival of four proven Premier League performers in east London. With 290 caps and numerous trophies to their names, Reid believes Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez will add quality and experience to Slaven Bilic's squad. "We finished the season on a good note, apart from the Liverpool game, and we really did well," he recalled. "We hope to take that form into the new season and we've also welcomed some new players into the fold. "When you combine them with the ones who are still here, we want to make sure that what happened at the beginning of last season doesn't happen again and we get off to a strong start. "To get them in at this stage so we've still got time ahead of the season for them to gel with the team is massively important. They are all players who have done well in the Premier League and played in England for numerous years, so it has been a brilliant bit of business done by the Club so far."

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Five-star Hammers U23s win in Slovakia
WHUFC.com

West Ham United U23s produced a five-star display to thrash Slovak Super League club FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce on Wednesday evening. The young Hammers were in irrepressible form as they swept aside their hosts 5-1, with striker Jahmal Hector-Ingram helping himself to a hat-trick. Academy Director Terry Westley may have been without the likes of Josh Cullen, Reece Burke, Toni Martinez and Moses Makasi, but his team still had far too much for their opponents. "It was an outstanding display, following on from our victory at Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday afternoon," said Westley. "Our goals were all superb, with Jahmal back to his best with three fine finishes, a penalty from Dan Kemp and a good goal from Grady Diangana, who was very good on the night. "We played the way we want to play, with really dangerous forward play and our great movement and passing helping to open up their defence time after time."

West Ham were also boosted at the back by the return of goalkeeper Nathan Trott, fresh from winning the UEFA European U19 Championship with England earlier this month. Norway winger Martin Samuelsen was also in action following off-season surgery to rectify a breathing issue, winning the penalty successfully converted by Toulon Tournament winner Kemp. "Nathan played his first game back after his success with England and he made some great stops late on," Westley observed. "Vashon Neufville was back to his best at left-back, too, which augurs well for the season ahead. "Martin also got a welcome 25 minutes during which he was very lively and got fouled for our penalty after a good dribble."

The U23s will spend the remainder of the week training in Slovakia before returning to England to take on ambitious Isthmian League club Billericay Town at the AGP Arena next Tuesday evening. In the meantime, the young Hammers also received their Premier League 2 Division 1 fixture list on Thursday, with the Hammers hosting Everton in their season opener at Dagenham & Redbridge on 11 August..

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Marko Arnautovic: The Big Interview
WHUFC.com

Marko Arnautovic will make his West Ham United debut in front of two groups of fans on Friday evening. The first will be the travelling Hammers eager to see the Austrian attacker in Claret and Blue for the first time, while the second will be the supporters of West Ham's opponents and the club he represented between 2010-13, Werder Bremen. With an expectant capacity crowd expected in the town of Scheverdingen 50 miles east of Bremen – Bundesliga club Werder like to play pre-season matches in areas where their large and widely spread fanbase can attend with ease – Arnautovic will undoubtedly be the star attraction.

On Wednesday evening, the Austria international held a press conference as West Ham's team hotel in Rotenburg, which attracted journalists from England, Germany and even Mexico!

Marko, why did you choose West Ham United?

"First of all, the coach gave me a good feeling about this Club. This club is a big club and playing in a big stadium with very good players, so for me it was not hard to choose this Club. I'm happy to be here and I can't wait to get started."

How did Slaven Bilic sell this transfer to you?

"He did well because otherwise I wouldn't have signed! I know for all these years that West Ham has been a big club and the last few years it has been mid-table, aside from two years ago when they finished seventh.

"I know in this club there are a lot of good players in this squad and the potential is there to be in the top six, top seven. But we know the Premier League is a hard league, a competitive league and it isn't going to be easy."

West Ham fans are getting excited about this transfer window and the signings of yourself, Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Javier Hernandez, so what do you think of the Hammers' summer business?

"Yeah, I think West Ham already had very good players and now the signings that we did with Joe, Zabaleta, myself and Chicharito are very good signings.
"Personally myself, I hope I can give everything for this club and I will try to do my best. I can't say how we're going to finish the season because we didn't even start, but we are training hard and now we have two games on Friday and Saturday and we will see how we are feeling. "Of course, I think everyone just can't wait to be started against Manchester United."

Can you talk more specifically about Chicharito?

"We know Chicharito has had a very good career. He started at Man United and then got away from them to Real Madrid for six months, then did very well in Leverkusen. "He's the perfect striker. You can't say anything about Hernandez because we know he's a very good player and we're happy he has joined us now and we hope he's going to score as many goals for us as he did for Man United, Leverkusen, Real Madrid or even for his country. "I will be happy when he is coming to join us in the training. Like I said many times, we can't wait to get the season started."

How do you feel about being West Ham's record signing?

"I think it would feel the same if I had come for less money. It is of course an honour for me to be the record transfer, but it's nothing for me in my head.
"I just came to this club to give my best, to show the fans that every penny was worth it for me. I want to give everything."

As a former Werder Bremen player, you have received a warm welcome back in an area where you played for three seasons…

"I was a little bit surprised because I went away from Werder Bremen not as good as you normally go away from a club, but I still had good moments here, I have to say. "In football terms, we didn't have good years, but I think I had some games where I showed my quality and I had a good relationship with the fans. "Some of the media didn't like me but the people here know what they had from me. We couldn't give our best because those three years were not a good three years."

And finally, are you looking forward to making your debut against your old club on Friday and showing them the player you have become?

"I can't wait for it and to play against them. I have a lot of friends still at the club there and I'm happy to see them again. "It's going to be a good game and we will play against them and of course we want to win against them, but we know it will be tough because German teams are always very fit and they can run a lot.
"We will show our quality and try to win these games on Friday and Saturday."

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Chicharito arrives at West Ham's German training campWHUFC.com

Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has arrived at West Ham United's team hotel in Germany.

The Mexico star was personally greeted by manager Slaven Bilic, who ended his two-year pursuit of the Little Pea when Hernandez completed his move to the Hammers on Monday.

The striker waited patiently in Paris for 48 hours for his UK Visa to be processed – applicants must leave the country to complete the process – before flying directly into Hannover on Thursday afternoon, where he was met by a Club delegation.

Hernandez then headed to the Hammers' training base in the quiet town of Rotenburg, where he was met by Bilic and a large and enthusiastic corps of Mexican broadcasters.

The manager was delighted to welcome his new centre forward to Rotenburg, saying: "He's very important to our project, he's a very important player.

"When I signed for West Ham two years ago, then Chicharito was on his way out from Manchester United and I wanted him then. I contacted him and spoke to him a few times and he was very keen, even then.

"When he decided to go to Leverkusen, he was very polite and he called me and said 'Sorry coach, I've opted for Leverkusen' which was a really nice gesture from him.

"So now, after two years, when I found out he may leave Leverkusen, I called him again and we didn't have to start from zero. We were laughing and said 'We spoke two years ago' and all that!

"It probably helped him to make his mind up that he wanted to join us that he knew that I wanted him two years ago and still we want him."

Bilic is clearly a huge fan of Hernandez's all-round qualities and his excitement at seeing how the 29-year-old will fit into his team is palpable.

"He's a fantastic player," he enthused. "He's very experienced. He's been everywhere and has scored goals for Manchester United first then for Real Madrid, for Bayer Leverkusen and for Mexico, and he's still a boy. You can see it in every game he is happy to play football.

"His game is not only about goals. He runs, he presses and he does everything so he was our number one target on the list of centre forwards and we're all extremely happy that he opted for us and I'm sure it's going to be a really good move for him as well."

The manager's admiration for Hernandez goes back to the very start of his senior career with Manchester United, who he joined in 2010, and grew as he scored regularly for the Red Devils, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Mexico.

Indeed, Bilic's love for Chicharito was not even affected when his goal helped knock his native Croatia out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup!

"When Chicharito started playing for Manchester United, I was at that time Croatia national team manager so I couldn't transfer him to play for Croatia, but we spoke with friends and colleagues and said he was a great player," Bilic confirmed.

"Then I was in Russia or Turkey and we didn't talk about him because it was impossible to get Chicharito to Besiktas at that time, let's say.

"When I signed for West Ham, I was talking with the Club, the Board, the Chairmen and my staff about which striker we could get. At that time, it was in the papers that Manchester United wanted to release him and we straight away tried to get him. He was always kind of a player that I wanted."

The manager confirmed that Mexico's all-time record scorer will not feature in this weekend's Betway Cup double-header with Werder Bremen, as he played for his country at the FIFA Confederations Cup until 2 July, and will instead begin his own pre-season training schedule.

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Mexico celebrates Chicharito's arrival at West Ham
WHUFC.com

The Mexican media has hailed Javier Hernandez's arrival at West Ham, with many figureheads in the press taking to social media to voice their approval.

The reporters were unanimous in their assertion that the return of the striker to the Premier League was good news and described the Hammers as 'one of its historic sides'.

The most effusive was perhaps Luis Garcia (@garciaposti), a former Mexican international striker, who played for Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad and is a columnist in the best selling sports newspaper Record.

He said: "You arrive to West Ham United and old and historic club, with a history of 122 years, and you'll also move to fascinating London, a city that lives in another dimension.

"From your new club emerged great footballers like Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick, and what about the icon Bobby Moore, captain of the English national team who were crowned World Champions in 1966 and who led the Hammers for more than a decade."

Garcia, who is also an analyst for TV Azteca, also said that Chicharito's decision had been 'a well-thought one' and that West Ham should be happy to have him because the striker 'guarantees goals'. He also noted that Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris was also a fan of the club.
He was not the only one. Mexican journalist Leon Krauze (@LeonKrauze), the main presenter for Univisión, the largest Latino television network in the United States, celebrated the arrival of Chicharito to West Ham in the below tweet: 'The great Chicharito continues to make history. Great football player, even better person. All the best with the Hammers!'

León Krauze ✔ @LeonKrauze
El gran @CH14_ sigue haciendo historia. Gran futbolista, mejor persona. Éxito con los 🔨!!! https://twitter.com/westhamutd/status/889581049537277954 …
9:52 PM - Jul 24, 2017
35 35 Retweets 227 227 likes

Raoul Ortiz (@Raoul_Ortiztd), a commentator for Televisa Deportes, Mexico's largest television network, said that his arrival to the Hammers was 'a good decision from every point of view, I think he will do very well '.

Another voice that spoke in favour of Hernandez's next move was that of ESPN commentator David Faitelson (@Faitelson_ESPN), who remembered that "West Ham is the club of the legendary Bobby Moore" and said the return to the Premier League was 'a good step' for the striker.

David Faitelson ✔ @Faitelson_ESPN
Regresa "El Chicharito" a Inglaterra y lo hace en el club del legendario Bobby Moore, el West Ham United.
Volver a la Premier, buen paso.
4:02 PM - Jul 20, 2017
423 423 Retweets 2,249 2,249 likes

The columnists were not alone. The biggest national newspapers also celebrated the transfer on its covers. Record led with "What an improvement! by 'Chicha'. Meanwhile, ESTO, put on its front page 'West Ham welcomes Chicharito'.

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Fletcher heading for 'Boro talks
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 27th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

Ashley Fletcher is on his way to Middlesbrough for talks over a permanent switch. The 21-year-old, Keighley-born striker joined West Ham on transfer deadline day last summer but has only been used as a bit-part player since. And it was confirmed this lunchtime (Thursday) that Fletcher had left the club's training camp in Rotenburg in order to fly back to England, so that he may hold talks with the Championship side. "Boro have agreed a deal in principle with West Ham United to sign striker Ashley Fletcher," read a statement on the Championship club's website. "The former Manchester United youth player has left West Ham's training camp in Germany and is heading to Boro for talks." News of Boro's interest was also confirmed by Slaven Bilic from the club's training camp in Germany. "He got a fantastic offer last night," said Bilic. "Ideally I wanted to have a different scenario but the offer was so good and I told him to be proud. "The step that he made from coming here as a no-name to being a player a lot of Championship clubs want is a big bonus for him so he's gone to discuss personal terms. He is a very good and promising player."
Fletcher was a member of the touring party that flew out to Austria with Slaven Bilic and the first team last week for pre-season fixtures against Sturm Graz and Fulham. The two clubs are understood to have agreed a fee in the region of £6.5million. Fletcher cost the Hammers just £1million just 12 months ago.

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Chicharito set for debut, confirms Bilic
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 27th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's latest signing, Javier Hernandez, is set to make his debut in one of the two fixtures against Werder Bremen this week, according to Slaven Bilic. The Mexican international in on his way to Germany in order to meet up with the rest of the squad, and is expected to arrive later this afternoon (Thursday). However he very is unlikely to feature in BOTH friendlies against the Bundesliga outfit which are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. "Chicharito won't play both games in the Betway Cup," said Bilic, speaking from Germany today. "We won't jeopardise our plans in these pre-season games as these are not important games for us.
"The idea is to play two teams. Now we have come to the stage ideally it is 60 mins one team and 30 mins the other and then vice-versa the next day, so they will all get 90 minutes."
Bilic also confirmed that he had been chasing Chicharito for some time, as revealed on KUMB earlier this week. "When I came to West Ham two years ago and he was leaving Man United, I wanted him then," he confirmed. "When he decided to go to Leverkusen, he told me 'sorry'. Now, after two years, I found out he may leave so I called him again. He is a fantastic player. He is very experienced and has scored goals everywhere he's been."

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Antonio to miss start of season
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 27th July 2017
By: Staff Writer

Michail Antonio is almost certain to miss the opening game of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford, according to Slaven Bilic. The 27-year-old winger, who was injured during the 1-0 win over Swansea at the Olympic Stadium back in April has not travelled with the rest of the first team squad as he attempts to recuperate from a hamstring problem. Bilic, speaking from the club's training camp in Rotenburg confirmed the bad news during his press conference this morning ahead of tomorrow's meeting with Werder Bremen - the first of two games against the Bundesliga side in 24 hours. "Michail [Antonio] and Andy [Carroll] are in London," he told the assembled media. "He is ahead of schedule, but the plan is for him to miss the first game of the season."
And with regards to Carroll's rehabilitation, he added: "Andy is still not able to train with the team but he is working hard at Rush Green with the physios."
"I am frustrated he cannot play, he is still injured and it is a big loss for us."

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Slaven Bilic on how West Ham signed Javier Hernandez
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 27/07/17 3:06pm
SSN

Slaven Bilic has revealed how a phone call two years ago laid the foundations for Javier Hernandez's transfer to West Ham this week. Hernandez completed a £16m move from Bayer Leverkusen, the German club he joined from Manchester United in the summer of 2015. Bilic was in the market for Hernandez back then, and the relationship he formed with the Mexico striker meant he was able to get the deal done at the second time of asking. "When he decided to go to Leverkusen he called me," said Bilic, speaking at a press conference on the club's pre-season tour of Germany. "He was very polite. He told me 'coach, sorry but I opted for Leverkusen'. It was a really nice gesture from him. "Now, after two years, when we found out he might leave Leverkusen I called him again and of course we didn't have to stat from zero. "We were laughing and he said 'we spoke two years ago' and all that, so it probably helped that he knew that we wanted him."

Hernandez is one of four summer recruits along with Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and £25m Marko Arnautovic, while Bilic remains on the lookout for further signings.
He said: "We've done really well without spending crazy money, so if something extraordinary happens I'll still be able to do it, I hope." Bilic also revealed Michail Antonio is ahead of schedule as he recovers from hamstring surgery and could return for the second game of the Premier League season - away at Southampton.
But Andy Carroll remains sidelined and his frustrated boss said: "Unfortunately he's still injured and it's a big loss for us."

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Ashley Fletcher set for Middlesbrough as West Ham accept £7m bid
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 27/07/17 12:35pm
SSN

Middlesbrough have agreed a £7m deal with West Ham to sign striker Ashley Fletcher. Fletcher left West Ham's training camp in Germany on Wednesday to have a medical and discuss personal terms on Teesside. If the deal goes through he will be a ninth summer signing for Boro, who are rebuilding under Garry Monk ahead of their return to the Sky Bet Championship. Fletcher joined West Ham last summer when his Manchester United contract expired and made 16 Premier League appearances, but only started two of those games with fourteen coming from the bench. The Hammers have since spent more than £40m on two forward players, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez.

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West Ham's Javier Hernandez 'the perfect striker', says Marko Arnautovic
By Nick Lustig and Paul Gilmour
Last Updated: 27/07/17 1:34am
SSN

Javier Hernandez has been hailed as the "perfect striker" by new West Ham team-mate Marko Arnautovic. The 29-year-old became manager Slaven Bilic's fourth summer signing earlier this week when he completed his £16m switch from German side Bayer Leverkusen. Hernandez, who scored 39 goals during his two seasons in the Bundesliga, will join up with the rest of the West Ham squad on their pre-season tour of Germany on Thursday and train for the first time on Friday.
Is 'Chicharito' the answer to West Ham's striker struggles? We look back at how the Mexican's predecessors have fared in east London. "Chicharito has had a very good career. He was at Man United and then when he left, he went to Real Madrid and then Leverkusen. He is the perfect striker," Arnautovic said. "You cannot say anything about Hernandez because we know he's a very good player and we're happy that he join us now.
Joe Hart believes West Ham are capable of at least a top-eight finish this season after a busy summer in the transfer market. "We hope he'll score a lot of goals like he did in the Bundesliga, Man United, Real Madrid or even for Mexico. "I will be happy when he's here in the next days and when he joins us on the training pitch. Like I said we cannot wait to get the season started."

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Antonio Martinez makes West Ham's £7m Ashley Fletcher decision a no brainer
HITC
Dan Coombs

Ashley Fletcher is set to leave West Ham. HITC Sport reported last night West Ham have accepted a £7 million offer from Middlesbrough for Ashley Fletcher.
Fletcher's departure will come as a surprise just 12 months after he signed for the club, but he is being squeezed out at the Hammers, in part due to outstanding prospect Toni Martinez. While West Ham have signed forwards Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic to compete with Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho, Martinez has been carving out a place for himself as the club's most exciting prospect - overtaking Fletcher. After signing from Valencia, he scored at a prolific rate for West Ham's under-23 team last season before impressing on loan at Oxford United. He scored to dump Newcastle out of the FA Cup, and is hoping to earn a spot in West Ham's squad for the season ahead. Martinez is currently with the first team in Germany on their pre-season training camp, where he is hoping to catch Slaven Bilic's eye. With the strength in depth West Ham suddenly have available up front, the £7 million offer from Middlesbrough for Fletcher is a no brainer. If they did not have Martinez in reserve then Bilic may be more tempted to hold onto Fletcher, but there may not be enough room for one, let alone two next season, and taking the money is a smart decision.

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Marko Arnautovic labels West Ham 'a bigger and more ambitious club' after move from Stoke
By Nick Lustig and Paul Gilmour
Last Updated: 26/07/17 9:58pm
SSN

Marko Arnautovic says he has joined a "bigger and more ambitious club" by leaving Stoke for West Ham. The Hammers, who have also signed Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Javier Hernandez this summer, splashed out a club-record £25m to secure the services of the Austria winger last week. Since completing the move, Arnautovic has come in for criticism from Stoke chairman Peter Coates and midfielder Charlie Adam, with both expressing their disappointment at his decision to leave the bet365 Stadium. But the 28-year-old is convinced he has made the right choice for his career by joining West Ham and believes Slaven Bilic has put together the "perfect team" ahead of the new Premier League season. "To the fans I was let's say the hero and now I am zero. But that's football. The one thing I can say is, I am happy to be here and happy to play for West Ham," Arnautovic told Sky Sports News. "Of course it was tough for me because the fans over the years were very supportive of me, but I came to a point where I wanted to see something different. "I wanted to join West Ham because, for me, it's a bigger club and more ambitious. We can see with the signings that we've made and the players that are already at the club.
Joe Hart believes West Ham are capable of at least a top-eight finish this season after a busy summer in the transfer market. I think we have a perfect team and now we have to show it on the pitch." Arnautovic, who scored 26 goals in over 100 appearances for Stoke, also insisted he is not feeling the pressure of being West Ham's record signing and is determined to deliver for the club. "I think I'll feel the same when I am playing, even if I came for more or less money. It's of course an honour for me to be the record transfer, but it will do nothing to me," he added. "I have just come to this club to give my best and to show the fans that every penny was worth it for me. I want to give everything."

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West Ham's Javier Hernandez out to show Manchester United what they're missing
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard

New West Ham signing Javier Hernandez is out to spoil Manchester United's start to the season as he prepares to make his Hammers debut at Old Trafford.
Hernandez, who joined West Ham for £16million on Monday, is set to make his first competitive appearance for his new club against Jose Mourinho's side on Sunday August 20. The Mexican striker scored 59 goals in 157 appearances for United between 2010 and 2015 and the two-time Premier League champion is a popular figure at Old Trafford. That might not be the case if he spoils Jose Mourinho's start to the new campaign but he is desperate to ensure his new club get a healthy reminder of what they're missing. "Of course I will be very happy to go back there and play," he told West Ham TV. "Hopefully I can do as well in that stadium for West Ham as I did when I played for United. "And hopefully we can get the three points to make a great start to the season."

Hernandez, recruited from Chivas de Guadalajara to United as a 21-year-old, has largely spent the last three seasons away from the Premier League, first on loan at Real Madrid before two years at Bayer Leverkusen where he averaged better than a goal every other game. "For me it is the most competitive [league] in the world," he said. "There are no easy games, you can see that the top 10 can change a lot. The Premier League challenges you and that is why I am here – I want to improve. "I'm very desperate for the season to start now, and help the team to achieve their objectives next season."

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Ashley Fletcher leaves West Ham camp to complete £7m Middlesbrough move
VAISHALI BHARDWAJ
Evening Standard

Ashley Fletcher is closing in on a £7million move to Middlesbrough after leaving West Ham's Germany training camp to complete a move to the Championship side.
Standard Sport understands the 21-year-old was given permission to fly back to England on Thursday after West Ham and Boro agreed a £7m fee for the striker.
Boro confirmed the news on Thursday morning and Fletcher is now expected to undergo a medical and negotiate personal terms with Garry Monk's side, with the transfer set to be completed within the next few days. Fletcher only joined West Ham last summer after his contract at Manchester United, where he spent six years coming up through the ranks, expired. But his chances of first-team football with the Hammers were delivered a blow last week when West Ham signed striker Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen for £16million. With Marko Arnautovic also arriving from Stoke in a club-record deal, Fletcher has decided to leave Slaven Bilic's side in search of regular game time. The striker admitted to Standard Sport back in December his decision to join West Ham was down his belief Bilic would be able to resurrect his career. The 21-year-old did enjoy a positive start to life at the London Stadium and, indeed, scored his first West Ham goal against his former side Manchester United in the Hammers' 4-1 EFL Cup quarter-final loss at Old Trafford in November. But he found himself restricted to a mostly substitute role as the season progressed, with the striker failing to score a Premier League goal in 16 appearances last season.

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West Ham's Michail Antonio to miss start of the season but ahead of schedule, confirms Slaven Bilic
TOM DUTTON
Evening Standard

Slaven Bilic has said Michail Antonio will miss West Ham's first game of the season against Manchester United. Antonio's 2016/17 campaign ended in April when he suffered a hamstring injury in the early stages of a crucial victory over Swansea. He subsequently underwent surgery. But the 27-year-old, voted Hammer of the Year last season, signed a new four-year deal at West Ham in May and has been working towards a return to first-team football since. Both Antonio and team-mate Andy Carroll were left out of the squads for pre-season trips to Austria and Germany, but are fighting for full fitness. "Michail and Andy are in London," said Bilic, speaking during the club's pre-season trip to Germany. "He [Antonio] is ahead of the plan." "The plan is for him to miss the first game of the season." The West Ham manager's update on Carroll was less optimistic, however. He added: "Andy is still not able to train with the team but he is working hard at Rush Green with the physios." "I am frustrated he cannot play, now he is still injured and it is a big loss for us."

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Slaven Bilic: Middlesbrough's offer for Ashley Fletcher was too good to turn down
VAISHALI BHARDWAJ
Evening Standard

Slaven Bilic has admitted West Ham couldn't turn down Middlesbrough's "fantastic" offer for West Ham striker Ashley Fletcher. As reported by Standard Sport on Thursday, Fletcher was given permission to leave the Hammers' training camp in Germany to fly back to England and undergo a medical at Boro ahead of completing a £7million move to the Championship side. Fletcher only joined West Ham last summer after his contract at Manchester United, where he spent six years coming up through the ranks, expired. But after the club signed striker Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen and Marko Arnautovic from Stoke, Fletcher fell down the pecking order. Bilic, who played a key role in bringing the forward to the club last summer, admitted that despite the new arrivals he wanted Fletcher to stay at West Ham - but conceded Boro's offer was too good to turn down both for the Hammers and the player himself. "He got a fantastic offer last night," Bilic told a press conference on Thursday. "Ideally I wanted to have a different scenario but the offer was so good and I told him to be proud." Fletcher is now expected to discuss personal terms with Garry Monk's side before completing a move to Boro within the next few days.

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WEST HAM MONITOR GERMAN STAR MAXIMILIAN ARNOLD
ABDULLAH MULLA @AbzMulla6
ReadWestHam

West Ham United have been linked with highly-rated German midfielder Maximilian Arnold after the VfL Wolfsburg star confirmed that his future at the Bundesliga club wasn't certain, according to a report by Kicker, as cited by Sport Witness. The German International led his country to glory in the U21 European Championship this summer as they overcame Spain in the final to showcase their new breed of young stars. Arnold is considered as one of the brightest talents from them all and the 23-year-old has been monitored by various clubs, including West Ham. Arnold currently has a contract with the Bundesliga club which runs through to 2020 but when asked about his future, Arnold didn't rule out the possibility of leaving the club sooner in an interview with MDR. I cannot say I will stay in Wolfsburg until 2020. In football, a lot of things can happen in one month. The transfer window will be opened for so long time. I don't want to say that I will be here until 2020 and then to look a liar if I'm transferred sooner. The Hammers are not ready to make an official bid for the player yet as they are still monitoring his situation. Arnold may prefer to stay in his home country for this season with the World Cup in Russia coming up next summer as he would like to do everything he can to be selected in the German squad for the tournament. The move would be an ambitious one from West Ham as Kicker magazine's writer Thomas Hiete also confirmed that Schalke were interested.

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West Ham and Newcastle swap: Bilic and Benitez interested in Adrian and Darlow deal
WEST HAM could be open to selling Adrian to Newcastle if they can land Karl Darlow in return.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 10:51, Thu, Jul 27, 2017 | UPDATED: 12:08, Thu, Jul 27, 2017
Express.co.uk

The Hammers goalkeeping department has been shaken up this summer. After the arrival of England's No1 Joe Hart on a season-long loan from Manchester City, Darren Randolph left in a £5million switch to Middlesbrough. And Adrian now looks likely to depart too as he eyes regular game time away from the London Stadium Crystal Palace have been in talks with West Ham over a move. But Frank de Boer's Eagles face competition for the 30-year-old Spaniard from Premier League rivals Newcastle. And Rafa Benitez's side have an advantage in negotiations. According to The Chronicle, Slaven Bilic's side are interested in taking Darlow from Newcastle as part of a swap deal. The Magpies' 26-year-old shot-stopper was left out last night's 4-0 friendly victory at Bradford in case he picked up an injury that would scupper any potential move away. With West Ham set to be in need of experienced support for Hart this term, Darlow is on their radar. The Chronicle add Benitez has identified Adrian as a player who can challenge for the No1 spot at Newcastle following their return to the top flight. And with Benitez having been left frustrated so far in his hunt for a new goalkeeper, he is prepared to offload Darlow. Newcastle could now re-enter talks with West Ham, which would deal a blow to Palace's pursuit of Adrian.

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WEST HAM OFFICIALS MONITOR RAUL JIMENEZ DURING TRAINING
ABDULLAH MULLA @AbzMulla6
ReadWestHam

West Ham United officials have watched Benfica striker Raul Jimenez during a training session as the London club ponder a move for the Mexican striker to partner Javier Hernandez, according to a report from Sport Witness. Benfica opened their training session at St George's Park to English clubs and the Hammers had representatives there who were reportedly keeping a close eye on Jimenez as manager Slaven Bilic is looking for a striker to partner new striker Hernandez.
Benfica are keen to offload the Mexican forward as he only has one year remaining on his contract with the Portuguese club, but they have slapped a whooping €40m price tag on the striker. Benfica signed Jimenez from Spanish La Liga club Atletico Madrid for €10m and the striker has won back-to-back Portuguese league titles in his two seasons with the club. Jimenez was impressive during this summer's Confederations Cup as he netted against New Zealand. The Hammers are still considering whether to make a move for the player, but with Benfica placing such a high price tag on him, it could mean that Bilic eyes other targets. The forward only started nine games last season for Benfica and the club are hoping to recoup almost quadruple the amount which they paid to secure his services, which on the face of things, looks a bit far-fetched to say the least.

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Marko Arnautovic hits back at Stoke after joining 'more ambitious' West Ham in £25million deal
Stoke chairman Peter Coates had previously condemned his lack of loyalty to the club that had resurrected his career
The Mirror
BYDAVID ANDERSON
11:56, 27 JUL 2017UPDATED11:57, 27 JUL 2017

Marko Arnautovic has hit back at Stoke, claiming new club West Ham are bigger and more ambitious. Arnautovic was responding to Stoke chairman Peter Coates' jibe that he had been disloyal to the Potters after they had resurrected his career. The Austria forward accepts Stokies will hate him because of his record £25million move to West Ham, but insists he has joined a better club. "To the fans I was, let's say the hero and now I am zero," he said. "But that's football. The one thing I can say is, I'm happy to be here and happy to play for West Ham. "Of course it was tough for me because the fans over the years were very supportive of me, but I came to a point where I wanted to see something different. "I wanted to join West Ham because, for me, it's a bigger club and more ambitious. We can see with the signings that we've made and the players that are already at the club. "I think we have a perfect team and now we have to show it on the pitch."
Arnautovic, 28, claims he does not feel under pressure because of his record transfer fee. "I think I'll feel the same when I'm playing, even if I came for more or less money," he told Sky Sports News. "It's of course an honour for me to be the record transfer, but it will do nothing to me. "I have just come to this club to give my best and to show the fans that every penny was worth it for me. I want to give everything."

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Revealed – Why West Ham Ended Their Interest In Man City Kelechi Iheanacho
July 27, 201703

The real reason why West Ham United ended their interest in Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been revealed by a very reliable source of the London based side. According to the very informed @ExWHU‎employee in a radio show monitored by Owngoalnigeria.com London based Michael James, coach of West Ham United Slaven Bilic pulled the plug on the deal. Bilic said no to the signing of Iheanacho after hearing of the availability of former Manchester United striker ‎Javier Hernandez, who will cost less and has a better Premier League experience than the Nigerian. Secondly the FA rule forbidding teams from loaning more than one player also played a role, as Bilic was still keen on Iheanacho despite signing Hernandez from Bayern Leverkusen, but had to make a choice between goalkeeper Joe Hart and the striker. The manager settled for Hart as the goalkeeping area is a priority for the manager than the striker, hence opt to loan the shot stopper ahead of Iheanacho from Manchester City.

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Marko Arnautovic's brother in `garbage' attack on Stoke City chairman
By Martin_Spinks | Posted: July 27, 2017
stokesentinel.co.uk

Marko Arnautovic's brother and agent has launched into a furious war of words with Stoke Citychairman Peter Coates by telling him he should "clean up his own garbage within the club walls." In an astonishing attack, Danijel Arnautovic defends his brother's decision to leave for West Ham and calls for more respect from the club towards his brother. His outburst follows Coates' complaint yesterday that Arnautovic should have been more loyal to a club resurrecting his career and giving him a new long-term contract only 12 months ago. But this afternoon Danijel Arnautovic blasted: "I can only say that Mr Coates should clean up his own garbage within the club walls before pointing finger at anyone outside of it. "What exactly I mean is up to the club to reveal, as this is the last time I will comment on anything Stoke City says. "I'd personally like to thank Stoke for the courage they had four years ago when they signed my brother. "I would, in my own and Marko's names especially, like to thank Stoke fans and Mark Hughes for all the love they have shown. "But to be honest, I was expecting a little bit more respect from certain people within the club instead of reading attacking articles."

Arnautovic has already admitted he has gone from hero to zero in the eyes of Stoke fans after joining what he considers a bigger and more ambitious club in West Ham. And now his brother, in an interview with The Sun, continues: "My brother gave his whole heart to Stoke City and as an agent I pointed out earlier this year that this transfer window was crucial to show Marko and other players in which direction the club was heading. "I pointed out very clearly that it looked to us the club showed no ambitions in climbing in the table and that we thought that the club was happy just to stay in the league. This was and still is my opinion. "Now Marko has left and in a record transfer for Stoke City (£25m in total). I'm very happy that my brother made a huge profit for Stoke and that's our way of paying back for all the love the fans have shown. "He could've left last summer for a smaller amount than Stoke City got now, but Marko chose to stay and extend his contract. "This summer it was time to leave and he left Stoke with a huge transfer profit. They bought him for £2.5milion and sold him for ten times more. "I really hope that they will make the same profit on any other player in the future as I can't remember they have done it in the past. "Marko left Stoke City with his head held high feeling proud that he is the record sell in the long history of Stoke City and he is now fully focused on his new club and climbing the Premier League table. "Marko is not and never has been a person who looks back. He now has new targets and new fans to please at West Ham. "Together they will forever blow bubbles."

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Real change in West Ham training mentality as Zabaleta and Hart make huge impact
The two experienced players have come in and there is a marked difference in the attitudes of the players around them to training sessions
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
08:17, 27 JUL 2017UPDATED08:20, 27 JUL 2017

It wasn't that long ago when Reece Oxford - who had just joined Reading on loan for six months - hinted that all was not what it was cracked up to be at West Ham's Rush Green training ground. He didn't say it as such, but his then manager Jaap Stam did, saying Oxford was "surprised" at the intensity of the training at Reading compared to what it was under Slaven Bilic. The manager himself even called out the players in training after their 5-0 thumping by Arsenal at the London Stadium last year, in the midst of that barren run where the Croat looked like he was ready to throw in the towel. Fast forward six months and the mood, intensity and attitudes at the training camp in Bothel couldn't be more different - it's almost a polar opposite - and that's down to two players. The tweet above demonstrates just how much of a perfectionist Zabaleta is and from football.london's experience at the German training camp in Bothel so far this week, it's not the only time the Argentine has done that. He is demanding absolutely 100 per cent from his teammates, he was a winner with Manchester City and while this is not an Abu Dhabi training camp like he may have been used to, the standards should still be the same.
We have seen Zabaleta get angry as misplaced passes - his own as well as others - if a teammate isn't doing something right, he will call them out, but he is also offering advice to the younger players as well. Not only them, Aaron Cresswell has become a very shouty chap indeed. He is one of the first to hit the grass for training and one of the last to leave and is also showing his jovial side by taking part in some of Betway's commercial videos they want to film out here (they have a big presence in Austria, in case you didn't know).
The other major influence is Joe Hart, who despite only potentially being here for one season, is having a major impact.

Sam Inkersole ✔ @Sam_InkersoleTM
I'm up the other end of the training pitch from Joe Hart and can hear him screaming instructions crystal clear. Such a big help. #WHUFC
5:23 PM - Jul 25, 2017
30 30 Retweets 134 134 likes

Hart is an angry, angry man when he is on the training pitch. If he concedes a goal, he is livid with himself and often throws in a curse word or seven. He is an absolute perfectionist when it comes to goalkeeping. Whether it is 8v8 games or 11v11 games to end the session, you can always hear one voice - Hart's. Criticism that was levelled at Adrian and Darren Randolph last season is they both didn't communicate with their defence enough. There is no danger of that being the case with the England international. The communication is clear, constant, loud, to the point. There's no messing around - "NO SHOT" is the most commonly heard phrase on the training ground.
It certainly has had an effect on the other players too. There have been some tasty challenges flying about in the past few days, no-one is holding back and it really does look like there has been a momentum shift at West Ham. When Javier Hernandez eventually arrives, optimism will grown even more but the groundwork is being laid for a very good season ahead. Compared to last year, the difference is incredible.

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SULLIVAN PLANS MORE SIGNINGS AHEAD OF NEW SEASON
Date: 26th July 2017 at 11:45pm
Written by: Forever Westham

David Sullivan has revealed his club are not done yet in the summer transfer market, and eyes one or two more signings before the new Premier League season starts in August. The West Ham co-Chairman says that despite his club's already busy summer window – in which they have signed all Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and most recently Javier Hernandez – the Hammers still want to make some signings 'for the future'. Sullivan told talkSPORT (via the Daily Express): "We had a policy up to now to buy players for now, not tomorrow. "We made a decision with the manager to buy players proven in the Premier League, who've been here before and are of an age where they're not being bought for tomorrow but today. "Long term it's not a great strategy, but short term it is. Hopefully we'll buy one or two more players, make investments in the future, while at the same time doing what's best for the club."

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WEST HAM 'PRESSING HARD' FOR CELTIC'S MOUSSA DEMBELE
Date: 26th July 2017 at 11:30pm
Written by: Forever Westham

West Ham are 'pressing the hardest' of any of the Premier League clubs' interested in Celtic ace Moussa Dembele as they look to continue their summer spending, reports the Daily Express. Arsenal and Chelsea are amongst those interested in the Frenchman, but it is West Ham who are most keen to sign the striker who scored an impressive 32 times last season for Brendan Rodger's side. Dembele has been heavily linked with a move away from Scotland this summer after his terrific debut campaign, and manager Rodgers said despite wanting to keep hold of the player, he would 'assess any offers' that do come in for the former Fulham forward. West Ham have already had a busy summer, making four signings in the form of Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and most recently Javier Hernandez, who joined the Hammers in a £16 million deal from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. Despite their business however, it is believed the Hammers are not done, and are expected to make one or two more signings before the season starts in August.

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Ashley Fletcher set for £6.5m move to Middlesbrough after Championship club hold talks with West Ham
Fletcher is set to become the second player to move between clubs this week
The 21-year-old striker has been a loan target for Brighton and Huddersfield
West Ham manager recognises his chances will be more limited this season
By Simon Jones and Sami Mokbel
PUBLISHED: 00:34, 27 July 2017 | UPDATED: 00:34, 27 July 2017

Championship side Middlesbrough have made a £6.5million bid to sign West Ham striker Ashley Fletcher. The 21-year-old has been a loan target for Premier League sides Brighton and Huddersfield Town but Boro manager Garry Monk is a confirmed fan after trying to sign him for Leeds United last season.
Talks between the clubs are at an advanced stage and a deal could be agreed in the next 24 hours. The former Manchester United striker is well liked by manager Slaven Bilic but the West Ham manager recognises his chances will be more limited this season following the arrival of Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic.
Fletcher is set to become the second player within a week to move between West Ham and Boro after Darren Randolph left the London Stadium. Fletcher made 21 appearances last season having arrived on a free transfer from United.

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