Daily WHUFC News - 24th January 2018

West Ham Ladies step up search for new Head Coach
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies are actively seeking a new Head Coach ahead of what is expected to be hugely important period for the Club. The Hammers Ladies are bidding for a place in the FA Women's Super League (WSL) when the elite level of the women's game in England restructures ahead of the 2018/19 season and are looking for the coach to continue to take the Club forward. Having progressed to the latter stages of both the FA Women's Premier League Plate and Isthmian League Cup this season, there is also silverware to play for in the short term, so Ladies Managing Director Jack Sullivan is sure an exciting future awaits for the Club.He said: "We are extremely ambitious for the future of West Ham United Ladies and as such we are conducting an extensive and diligent search for our new head coach, who will share our ambitions and vision for the Ladies team. "I believe it is important that we take our time in appointing our new Head Coach. This is an appointment for the long-term and It is vital we bring in the right individual, so we are working closely with our partners in women's football, including the FA, to help us get a world class Head Coach. "Everything at the Club is geared towards taking us to the elite of the women's game, from the training facilities at Rush Green to the help and support of all the departments at West Ham, so this is an important appointment for us to ensure our development on the pitch continues to move forward."

Ladies General Manager Karen Ray added: "The Club has taken huge strides forward both on and off the pitch over the last 18 months and now we are looking to take the next step as we await the decision on the WSL restructure. "We have a highly-professional set up, through all elements of the Club, and with the full support of every department within we pride ourselves on establishing a solid infrastructure for long term success. "It is an exciting time for West Ham United Ladies and that will be reflected in our robust recruiting process."

If you are an elite level coach who is interested in the role, please click here for more information.

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Fonte: I'm eager to go again and help the team be successful
WHUFC.com

Jose Fonte cannot wait to get back out onto the pitch and show what he can do. The Portugal defender is closing in on a return to action after three months out with an ankle injury and is keen to help the Hammers keep their positive run going. West Ham have enjoyed an unbeaten start to 2018, moving up to eleventh in the table, so as Fonte moves back into full training, he says he cannot have timed his return any better. "It's been a while now, three months since I had the injury," he said. "The new manager came in when I got injured, so I haven't had the opportunity to show my abilities and I'm looking forward to coming back and helping the team to succeed. "We have a good momentum and are on a good run and I want to be part of it. I want to win, I want to be successful here and please the fans. I'm eager to go again and work really hard. "I had surgery three months ago and had to wear a boot for four weeks. Then I was on crutches for a further four weeks and had to basically start again building strength in my calf and get the mobility in the ankle. "Now everything is coming into place, I feel great, I feel strong and hope I can have a great second half of the season with the squad and go to the World Cup flying. "I'm thinking for the Wigan game, if the manager and the physios think it's a good idea, I could hopefully get a few minutes. If not, then the next game. I'm here to help and be a part of it."

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Josh Cullen recalls the night he made his Hammers debut
WHUFC.com

Lifelong Hammers fan Josh Cullen remembers the night he made his West Ham United debut in front of a capacity Boleyn Ground crowd...

West Ham United behaved themselves during the 2014/15 Premier League season. Sam Allardyce's players were shown just two red cards and booked 65 times in their 38 top-flight matches, which saw them finish top of the Fair Play League. With English clubs among the three most disciplined in Europe that same season, the Hammers' relatively clean record earned them a place in the 2015/16 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round. There, they were drawn to face Andorran Primera Divisio runners-up FC Lusitans, a club founded as recently as 1999 in the landlocked Pyrenean microstate's capital Andorra La Vella, and whose Estadi Comunal stadium seated just 1,249 spectators.
West Ham would play at home first, though, kicking-off their final season at the Boleyn Ground on the sun-soaked evening of Thursday 2 July. Before the game, newly-appointed manager Slaven Bilic was introduced to the capacity crowd, but it was Terry Westley who would take charge on the night, and the Academy Director was able to name no fewer than eleven graduates in his matchday 18. Among them was 19-year-old substitute Josh Cullen, who had captained the U21s and twice been named on the Premier League bench the previous campaign, but was yet to make his first-team debut. A lifelong West Ham fan, Cullen was born into a Hammers-mad family in the Essex resort of Westcliff-on-Sea and grew up dreaming of pulling on the famous Claret and Blue shirt. "We got into the Europa League through Fair Play, so it was a bit hectic," recalled Cullen, now 21. "At the end of the season before, no-one knew when we were going to be reporting back for pre-season. "I got a message to say I would be back in on the 19 or 20 June and that was really early, but we had to prepare for the first qualifying round. We went to Cork in Ireland and had ten days of pre-season training there to get ready. "It was a big build-up, being a West Ham fan and coming through the Academy, I now had the possibility of playing for my Club in Europe, even if it was only the qualifying rounds. It was a massive thing for me."

Unsurprisingly, given the Hammers had enjoyed a summer break of less than seven weeks between competitive fixtures, and the limited abilities of their opponents, the game was a somewhat slow-paced affair. It took 40 minutes for West Ham to break the deadlock, doing so when Diafra Sakho acrobatically headed in Mauro Zarate's right-wing cross from six yards. And it was 2-0 before half-time when Morgan Amalfitano cut the ball back for the Senegalese striker to convert.

Another Essex boy, James Tomkins, added a third just before the hour-mark, and that was the cue for Westley to call for Cullen to end his warm-up and get ready for action. "Terry told me at half-time that I'd be going on ten or 15 minutes after the break, so then the butterflies started and I was itching to get out there. When I got the shout to put my shirt on, it was something I had dreamt of my whole life. "I got on for half-an-hour at the end and, as a boyhood West Ham fan, making my debut at Upton Park was an unbelievable feeling. We were 3-0 up at the time, but I wanted to come on and make an impression and do myself justice.
"I hit the crossbar as well, which I'll always been a bit annoying about as it didn't dip into the net, but it was great to be out there in front of a packed stadium. That's a memory I'll never forget. "It was a special occasion. We had a game on 2 July and the team we were playing against hardly had any fans, so the stadium was literally full of 35,000 West Ham fans. "Slaven was unveiled before the game and that was the first game of what was a cracking season for West Ham."

Cullen has since gone on to appear in the Premier League, captain the Republic of Ireland U21s, win Players' Player of the Year for loan club Bradford City and face Juventus at London Stadium, but it will take something special to beat the night he wore a West Ham shirt for the first time. "Everyone was there! Quite a few of my family are Season Ticket Holders anyway, then I had some other family members and friends and, of course, my missus. "I didn't have to run home like Mark Noble, thankfully. My family got the train down and then they all jumped in my car after the game for a lift home. "That was strange for my Dad and my brother as we'd been standing on the other side of the gates to the Players' Car Park not too many years before, trying to get autographs through the fence! "Being West Ham fans all our lives, it was a strange feeling and a bit surreal having fans asking me to sign things, as I didn't feel any different than anyone else. "To get on for a decent amount of time, have a little run around and get on the ball at Upton Park was a special moment for sure. "It was a great memory, the whole night, and if I could go back and relive it all again, I would."

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New Head of Fitness Nick Davies relishing Hammers return
WHUFC.com

A new but familiar figure has taken his seat in the West Ham United dugout in recent weeks. Eight-and-a-half years after leaving the Hammers in his previous spell, Nick Davies is back on the east Londoners' training pitch as Head of Fitness. Davies is relishing being back at the Club under manager David Moyes, and has got stuck straight into the role as the Hammers look to climb the Premier League table. "It's a multi-faceted role," he explained. "Ultimately, the preparation of the players for training and matches is a key ingredient in that. "From pre-activation work to warm-ups to individual conditioning to their recovery strategies and the nutritional side of it, it's a never-ending spectrum of work which underpins the physical performance of the players. "That's something which we're striving to continue to improve, which all clubs are doing all the time, and we feel like the sports science impact can really have a big effect in ensuring the players are as prepared as they can possibly be."

Much is made of the intensity of the Premier League and, depending on which pundit you listen to or website you read, how it is the 'best', 'most physical' and 'fastest' league in the world. Regardless of whether those claims are true or not, Davies says the English game has changed hugely since he first began working in the top flight more than a decade ago. "It is true to say the physical outputs which these players are producing now have changed over the last ten years and certainly the sprint and high intensity work they do in games now is higher than it was then. "It has really increased and you only have to look at players' body shapes now to see that. They are explosive, dynamic, sprinter types. There are not too many players who plod around the pitch any longer! "Footballers are athletes and we're always trying to push the boundaries and raise the bar as to what we can get out of these guys so they are as well prepared on matchdays as they can possibly be."

Despite the increase in intensity, players still come in all shapes and sizes, with a James Collins needing a different fitness plan to a Manuel Lanzini, for example. Davies says the challenge for him is to work out how to maximise the physical output of each and every player, regardless of their makeup. "The shapes and position that they play in means tailored programmes are required, which is why everyone gets their individual plan as well as their core quality work which they all must do. "Certainly, the individualised stuff is becoming more and more apparent in the planning of the players' training weeks." Manager Moyes has repeatedly stated his demand for players to run if they want to be part of his team in the future. Davies has found the squad have responded well to this demand and are putting in the hard yards at Rush Green with a view to being involved on matchdays. "The work they have done with the coaching staff puts high demands on players and there is a high expectancy over what they want from them. "Certainly, the reaction I have seen has been overwhelmingly positive and, ultimately, professional people want to work hard, they want to be pushed and they want to develop. "The manager's ethos means there is no hiding place and they have to step up to the mark if they want to be part of his plans. That's a nice, straightforward way to work."

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Obiang: We fought for each other until the end
WHUFC.com

Pedro Obiang said Saturday's draw against AFC Bournemouth was a case of mind over matter as the Hammers saw off the effects of playing extra-time in their midweek FA Cup replay by coming back to equalise against the Cherries. Bournemouth might have thought they had done enough for the win when Ryan Fraser fired them in front 19 minutes from time at London Stadium, but the Hammers had other ideas and wasted no time in finding their leveller. Chicharito knocked home just 64 seconds after Fraser had opened the scoring and Obiang believed the team's mentality played a big part in securing the point. "I think it was a really good point for us as we were very tired after playing the cup game in midweek," the No14 explained. "We suffered, we ran a lot, we fought for each other and in the end we took an important point. We need more, but we have to be happy to take one. "In the first half we played better, and in the second half they had more chances than us, but it was important for us that the first half was really nice. "The strikers believe they can do it and you could see the result [in us equalising straight away]. We are improving as a team. "Even if we are feeling tired we keep strong until the end, and we are all in the same mindset."

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AWAYS DAYS: WIGAN ATHLETIC
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 23 JANUARY 2018 AT 8:34PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Craig Podevin @craigpodevin

1 loss in 9 is impressive and we have another favourable draw in the FA Cup. Although Moyes claims it's not a priority, the team selection for Shrewsbury and some key substitutions (Arnautovic coming on mainly) shows that he does have some interest in it. More than Big Sam v Nottingham Forest anyway! Hopefully we can be singing 'Marko's on fire' rather than Wigan singing 'Will Grigg's on fire'!

General information:

Stadium: DW Stadium

Capacity: 25,023

Address: Loire Drive, Wigan, WN5 0UZ

Away seating: Normally 4,800

The DW Stadium has been Wigan's home since 1999 and has been shared with Wigan Warriors Rugby League club. It's made up of four single tiered stands that are all approximately the same height, but are also quite steep meaning fans sitting in the back rows are still fairly close, however the stands themselves are quite far from the pitch.

Travel:

Train
The 2 central train stations for Wigan are Wigan North Western and Wallgate. These are both about 20 minutes from the ground, so you can either walk (and stop at the later-mentioned pubs!) or get a taxi to the ground.

From Wigan North Western, turn left and follow the road under the railway bridge. If you are going to Wallgate, turn right and you will also walk past Wigan North Western on your left. From here it is fairly straightforward, keep following the road until it forks near a Dominos Pizza shop. Stick to the right carrying on past topps Tiles on your right. You will reach a bridge over a canal, and from there you should be able to see the DW Stadium on your right. You can either turn right from this bridge and follow the local fans, or continue under another railway bridge then turn right into Frith Road which leads to the stadium.

Car

Leave the M6 at Junction 25 to the A49 towards Wigan. After approximately 2 ½ miles you will pass a junction on the left with the 1577 and approach a large roundabout that has a McDonalds. Continue straight over the roundabout but keep in the left lane. At the lights, be in the left hand filter lane by Asda. Continue straight on pass the Red Robin pub on the right, at the next roundabout go straight and the next traffic lights turn right into stadium way.

Parking

The ground has a large car park specifically for the use of away fans. This costs £5 per car or motorbike, £10 for mini-busses or £20 for coaches. As expected, after the game there can sometimes be a long wait to get out of the car park.

The nearby retail park has a 2 hour limit on parking, so avoid it at all costs as it can leave you with a £50 fine.

Food and drink:

On the concourse at the ground, you are able to purchase food such as Holland Pies including chunky steak, meat and potato and cheese pie which all cost £2.60 and Herta hot dogs available for £2.90. Alcohol is also available on the concourse, with Fosters, Strongbow and John Smiths all costing £3.20 a pint. You can only purchase 2 pints per person due to how busy it can get, there are only 2 counters serving beer the largest of which has a queuing system forced by stewards. The counters that serve alcohol do not serve food.

There's a dedicated bar for away fans called Marquee Bar, with the entrance near the away turnstiles. It sells pies, teas and coffee as well as alcohol and features large screens showing sports.

The traditional pub for away fans is the Red Robin, which is a few minutes' walk from the stadium opposite the cinema complex.

The town centre features a Wetherspoons pub called the Moon Under Water and it's also 20 minutes from the ground. It also features the Anvil pub near the bus station, both pubs are featured on the CAMRA good beer guide.

Near the railway station is Berkeley on Wallgate, which has mixed fans and serves five real ales.

Stay safe throughout the day, it's a long journey! Support the lads and let's work our way towards an FA cup! Come On You Irons! -@CraigPodevin

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Find me a new club, orders Hernandez
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 23rd January 2018
By: Staff Writer

Javier Hernandez has instructed his agent to find him a new club - after becoming frustrated at being frozen out at West Ham. The Mexican international has spent just six months at West Ham since moving to London in a £16million switch from Bayer Leverkusen last summer - but is seeking a new challenge having failed to secure a first team spot at the club under either Slaven Bilic or David Moyes. "There are a number of clubs interested in his services," agent Eduardo Hernandez told Fox Sports. "He's a player everyone knows and is incredibly professional. "Our primary focus is a club in which he can play the most games possible. That's the most important. Javier has personally asked for it. "He's commented, stated and demanded that we look for a club that really needs a player with his characteristics because what he wants is to play and play and play."
News of Hernandez's desire to find a new club comes hot on the heels of the revelation that fellow striker Andy Carroll is set to be sidelined for the next three months with his latest injury. The Hammers are also reported to have rejected a £12million bid for forward Andre Ayew from former club Swansea at the weekend - although there is no movement currently regarding Diafra Sakho, the one player Moyes and the club would happily sell.

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West Ham trio Andy Carroll, Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic set for spells on sidelines
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 23/01/18 11:21am
SSN

West Ham have been hit by a triple injury blow with Andy Carroll, Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic set for spells on the sidelines, according to Sky sources.
Carroll, who recently attracted interest from Chelsea, will be out for the next three months after undergoing surgery on a broken foot on Monday. Lanzini has been ruled out for a minimum of a month after limping off with a hamstring problem during the second half of West Ham's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday. While Arnautovic, who has scored six goals in his last 10 matches, has also picked up a hamstring injury and will miss the next three weeks. Javier Hernandez and Toni Martinez are currently West Ham's only fully-fit forwards, with Diafra Sakho, Andre Ayew and Michail Antonio working their way back to fitness. Sky Sports News understands West Ham had been willing to listen to offers for Hernandez, while the Mexico forward's agent suggested on Monday that his client was open to a move away.

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Javier Hernandez open to move away from West Ham, says forward's agent
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 23/01/18 10:36am
SSN

Javier Hernandez is open to a move away from West Ham less than six months after signing for the club, according to the Mexico forward's agent. Hernandez joined the Hammers from German side Bayer Leverkusen for £16m in July, but has since struggled for consistency and scored five times in 21 appearances. Sky Sports News understands West Ham are willing to listen to offers for the 29-year-old, whose latest goal was the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth last Saturday after replacing the injured Manuel Lanzini. Hernandez has started just once in the Premier League since David Moyes was appointed West Ham manager in November and, according to his agent, is keen to secure more first-team football ahead of this summer's World Cup. "There are a number of clubs interested in his services, he's a player everyone knows and is incredibly professional," Eduardo Hernandez told FOX Sports. "Our primary focus is a club in which [Chicharito] can play the most games possible. That's the most important. "Javier has asked personally for it. He's commented, stated and demanded that we look for a club that really needs a player with his characteristics because what he wants is to play and play and play."

Hernandez may be denied his chance to move with Lanzini's hamstring injury reportedly ruling him out for up to six weeks while Andy Carroll could also be sidelined for three months with a hairline fracture in his foot.

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Slaven Bilic explains Dimitri Payet's West Ham exit on Monday Night Football
Last Updated: 22/01/18 11:52pm
SSN

Slaven Bilic describes what it was like having to deal with player power and having his star player Dimitri Payet wanting to leave West Ham. Slaven Bilic explained to Monday Night Football he had to let Dimitri Payet leave West Ham because of the affect the player's desire to leave was having on the club. Payet enjoyed a brilliant debut season with the Hammers, winning the club's player of the season award, but things turned sour during his second season in east London with the Frenchman refusing to play as he looked to force through a return to Marseille. The Frenchman eventually secured a £25m move to his former club and Bilic, a guest on MNF for Swansea's 1-0 win over Liverpool, revealed he had to take action because of the affect the situation was having on the dressing room.
"With Dimitri he had a great season," the former West Ham boss said. "He enjoyed it and was brilliant on the pitch, off the pitch and in the dressing room. He was vocal in a good way, having fun and mixing with all the players. "In the second season he was doing everything right on the pitch but he just wanted to go. He had some private problems and wanted to go. "Of course, at that moment I tried to persuade him to stay because he was our best player. He was very liked by the other players and giving us that something extra. "The club wanted him to stay, I got that message from the board as well so we were on the same wavelength and we wanted to improve. We didn't want to lose our best players. He added: "I tried to persuade him [to stay] and spoke to him a few times but when it came to the point that it started to damage the dressing room and the players started asking what was going on, then I had to react. "I spoke with the board and unfortunately you have to draw the line."
Bilic's comments on the Payet situation came on the same day that Manchester United completed the signing of Alexis Sanchez in a swap deal with Arsenal that sees Henrikh Mkhitaryan move to the Emirates. Bilic thinks it is now players and agents that hold all the power when it comes to transfers in football. When asked if it is the players that hold all the power, he said: "Absolutely. You still have some clubs in Europe that are bigger than the players. "Those are clubs with a history of being hard clubs, like Juventus. No Juve player is bigger than the club. Manchester United is also a club like that. "The clubs who are getting good players because they have a bit of money but are not big, big clubs, the players soon become bigger than the club. "Today, players and agents are basically dictating to the clubs," he added. "The clubs and the agents have to work together and as a manger you are almost depending on them. "It's a very complex job but at the end of the day you are in football. You are doing what you want to do and when you win it's unbelievable. Of course when you lose you are down but you are well paid for it."

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THE TRANSFER WINDOW, AN INJURY CRISIS AND OUR NOBLE CAPTAIN
By Tony Hanna 23 Jan 2018 at 08:00
WTID

With only fourteen games remaining of the Premier League season just six points separate the ten teams sitting between 10th and rock bottom of the table. It is no wonder there is so much pressure every time any of these teams play each other. Every game seems like a six pointer. A couple of wins or a couple of losses on the bounce can make a huge difference. We are currently unbeaten this year and have reached the heady heights of 11th but things can change so quickly that there must be no room for complacency. Despite our lofty position we are just four points clear of the relegation zone.
Last week I gave my thoughts on the blog that a win against Bournemouth could influence the Board to keep their transfer powder dry in this January window. The extra buffer an additional two points would have provided may have allowed us to play a stronger eleven than what will now, in all probability, be selected for the Wigan cup game. However, with just one point gained on the weekend together with fresh injury concerns, David Moyes focus may have shifted back to adding a player or two to his depleted squad. With three games in eight days looming again, two of which are six pointers, I think the team for the Cup game will now have a strong influence of fringe and U23 players. The latest injury news suggests Lanzini will be out for at least 6 weeks and Arnautovic a minimum of three. Isn't it just our luck that as soon as we start to see a brilliant attacking partnership develop we lose both players to hamstring injuries? To make things worse Andy Carroll is missing again and is likely to need surgery, there is the mystery injury to Antonio and together with an unreliable Sakho our attacking options are becoming quite limited. Even Ayew missed squad selection on the weekend due to injury.

On the bright side I thought our first 25 minutes against Bournemouth saw us play some of our best football for quite some time. The interchange of passing and one touch stuff was very easy on the eye. But as is often the case if you don't convert your ascendancy into goals the opposition normally find a way to get back into the game. The visitors certainly finished the stronger and a point apiece was probably a fair result. David Moyes has suggested that Joe Hart will get his opportunity again this season and I do wonder if the England keeper were to have a good game at Wigan, whether he may be in the running to take over from Adrian in the PL team? There may be an argument that Adrian was at fault for the Bournemouth goal, or at least he should have done better. Personally, I would like to think that Adrian deserves a bit more of a go – I really don't see Hart being at the club next season. Mind you, I was very disappointed to see Adrian flicking the ball up in the air before volleying away when being pressed during Saturdays match. It smacked of old bad habits returning and the sort of antics that I am sure will not go down well with our current manager.

One thing that did go down well, with me anyway, were some comments from Mark Noble a week or so ago in a Daily Mail interview. "I've known these people since I first came to the club. I want the very best for this club. I make sure, out of the players' bonus, every staff member shares in that bonus. We can't do it without them." Mark was referring to the back room staff at the club and even the chef and Shirley in the kitchen. Now he is a very good player but I wish Mark was as good a footballer as he is a bloke because we would have a Messi or Ronaldo on our hands. It is lovely to see some good old fashioned values still exist in a game where greed more often grabs the headlines nowadays.

So, onto the bookies updates. It has been a much more difficult window to try and predict than usual – especially as nothing has happened for us so far! The winter window markets are always less reliable than the summer window markets and this year it seems even more difficult. My own view is that if we are to persist with a January window it should be reduced to a much shorter timeframe. The biggest argument for a winter transfer window is so clubs can buy replacements to cover long term injuries in key positions. If a two week window was in place I am sure the same deals would still get done but with much less of the hassle and uncertainty it brings to many clubs. I know deals can be complex and hard to do, but I am sure they would still get done if the alternative meant the agent misses out altogether!

Relegation The bookies seem to think we are safe and have us at 14/1 (6.67%) for relegation with ten other teams more likely to go down than us. Those odds may well tighten up on the back of our latest injury news. As for player transfers;

Andre Ayew is an even money chance (50%) to join old club Swansea. He has had a mixed spell with West Ham and one of the problems is where does the player fit or more pertinently, what is his best position? With our current injury problems I doubt we would entertain him leaving unless we had another striker lined up as a replacement. The market does suggest that a deal may be on the cards though.

Javier Hernandez – ditto above regarding a suitable replacement, but there has been money for Chico to move to Besiktas. He is still 1-3 (75%) to remain a Hammer.

Jonjo Shelvey is now odds on to stay with Newcastle. The current price of 2/1 (33%) for the move South does suggest a deal could still be done though. If rumours are to be believed the player would welcome the switch but the Geordies would want to sign his replacement first.

Michy Batshuayi is at 9/1 (10%) to join West Ham from Chelsea and this deal looks dead in the water now. I think any real chance of that transfer happening was on the back of Carroll going the other way.

Two players who are rumoured to be possible targets but are not listed with the bookies are Inter Milan midfielder Joao Mario and Leander Dendoncker from Anderlecht.

A note to our Australian readers. The Wigan cup tie is being shown live on Foxsports ch1508 ESPN

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West Ham run the rule over Real Betis' Fabian as Leander Dendoncker slides down their list
The Telegraph
Matt Law, football news correspondent
23 JANUARY 2018 • 5:30PM

West Ham United are considering making a bid for Real Betis midfielder Fabián Ruiz after David Moyes watched him play against Barcelona. West Ham's manager was at Barcelona's 5-0 thrashing of Betis last Sunday to run the rule over Ruiz and Andre Gomes. But having been told Gomes is out of his reach, Moyes is now deliberating over whether or not to make an offer for Fabián. Moyes is desperate to add a midfielder to his squad before the transfer window shuts next week, but has reservations over whether or not 21-year-old Fabián would make an immediate impact. Gomes was a Tottenham Hotspur target last summer, but is expected to stay at the Nou Camp until the end of the season after forcing his way back into Barça's team. While Moyes was in Spain, West Ham's assistant manager Stuart Pearce watched Anderlecht's Leander Dendoncker but the trip proved to be wasted as he played in defence.
Dendoncker had been identified by director of player recruitment Tony Henry, but the fact he has been playing at the back has pushed the 22-year-old down West Ham's list of midfield targets. Jonjo Shelvey is another midfielder West Ham have considered and Newcastle United's move to sign Kenedy on loan from Chelsea opened up the prospect of his exit. But Shelvey is in no rush to leave Newcastle and it remains to be seen whether or not West Ham are prepared to push hard enough to get the former England international.
Meanwhile, the agent of Javier Hernández, Eduardo Hernández, has revealed the striker is keen to quit West Ham before the transfer window shuts. "There are a number of clubs interested in his services, he's a player everyone knows and is incredibly professional," said Edurado Hernández. "Our primary focus is a club in which [Chicharito] can play the most games possible. That's the most important. "Javier has asked personally for it. He's commented, stated and demanded that we look for a club that really needs a player with his characteristics because what he wants is to play and play and play."

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West Ham to pay Joao Mario wages
By Football Italia staff

West Ham United are reportedly willing to pay Joao Mario's wages, but they don't want to pay Inter to loan him. The Portuguese midfielder is out of favour under Coach Luciano Spalletti, but the Nerazzurri have been struggling to find a club to take him this month. Now Sky Italia is reporting that the Hammers have made it clear they're willing to pay his gross salary for the rest of the season, which totals around €2.5m [£2.2m]. The English club are also prepared to pay his agent a €600,000 commission, but they're insisting on a free loan. That deal would include a €30m [£26.4m] option to buy, but it's not clear if the Beneamata will accept a deal which doesn't guarantee them any transfer fee.

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Joao Mario "gives green light" to West Ham move after Inter make Barcelona capture - report
The midfielder has had a change of heart, it seems
Football London
BySam Inkersole
West Ham Correspondent
18:10, 23 JAN 2018

Inter Milan midfielder Joao Mario looks to have changed his mind and has instructed his agent to give the green light for a loan move to West Ham, according to reports in Italy. According to Calciomercato, the Hammers and Inter are still locked in negotiations over a loan move until the end of the season but the Portugeuse star has given the go ahead to a move, despite initially ruling it out. What might have changed his mind is that his current club, Inter Milan, announced on Monday the signing of Barcelona midfielder Rafinha, a move which would diminish further hopes of playing time for Joao Mario and that has been the straw that has broken the camels back. The Portugal international wants more game time and now believes he will get that at the London Stadium as opposed to staying at the San Siro for the remainder of this season at least. The report claims the two sides, along with Mario's agent Kia Joorabchian, are trying to broker a deal that will see the midfielder head to east London on loan for the rest of the season with an option to buy at the end of it. Calciomercato claim that if the deal was done now, it would cost €28 million to sign the midfielder permanently at the end of it. That could be reduced to €22 million if that happens in 2019, with Inter keen to shift Mario's €6 million-a-year salary off the books. Italian transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio has also said the Hammers have agreed to pay his full €2.5m wages and a €400,000 agent fee but is reluctant to pay the €1.5m loan fee. He also wants an option to buy permanently for €30m after the loan finished. The midfielder has failed to settle in the Italian city since his move from Sporting Lisobon in the summer for a whopping £39.8m.

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WEST HAM SET TO FINALLY LAND MIDFIELD TARGET IN £12M DEAL THIS WEEKFeatured Image
Date: 23rd January 2018 at 7:46pm
Written by: Josh Challies
Forever WestHam

West Ham face a busy week ahead as they seek to bolster their squad for the relegation battle that lies ahead but an exciting boost looks to be right around the corner. The Express reports that the Hammers are set to finally agree a deal with Newcastle United to bring Jonjo Shelvey to the club for £12m, providing a significant boost to both squads. Newcastle are also looking to improve their ranks in the January transfer window but lack the finances to complete deals, whilst West Ham are desperately looking to improve their midfield options for the challenges that lie ahead. West Ham have been eyeing the services of the England international throughout the January window but have struggled to negotiate a deal, though it appears that there is finally a breakthrough in discussions. The Hammers would benefit from the ability that Shelvey possesses and he'd certainly be an upgrade on Moyes' current options.

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LANDING HIGHLY-RATED BELGIAN INTERNATIONAL WOULD BE SUPERB FOR WEST HAMFeatured Image
Date: 23rd January 2018 at 8:27pm
Written by: Josh Challies
Forever WestHam

West Ham continue to search the market for a talented new midfielder in the January transfer window and a number of names have been linked with a move to East London, with a range of values, ages and abilities. The Hammers have found it difficult to find the ideal target, having seen a number of approaches knocked back, but an exciting move may materialise in the form of Belgian international Leander Dendoncker, who's been linked with a move.

Anderlecht will command a high price for the 22-year-old, capped four times by his national side, but West Ham would benefit from his ability in midfield and the fact that he can develop into a top-class player is a massive boost. The Hammers have quite an ageing squad, although signs of adjustment have been shown, and Dendoncker would fit the bill perfectly- providing an immediate boost as well as having the ability to prove to be worth a fortune in the future. Dendoncker has been chased by some big names in recent months, which shows how highly he's valued, and beating top sides to his signature would be another big statement of intent for a West Ham side looking to evolve following their move to the London Stadium.

At 22, Dendoncker is at the age where he can become a superb asset to West Ham but the danger is putting too much pressure on him too soon, although that is unlikely to be an immediate problem due to the experience that the Hammers currently have within their squad. If West Ham are to land a new midfielder in the final eight days of the transfer window, then Dendoncker should be the target that is prioritised.

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