13/06/2007 18:21
West Ham United are pleased to announce that adult season ticket holders can
now renew online.
To renew your season ticket, simply click here :
https://eticketing.co.uk/whufc/default.aspx
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A Bent deal - KUMB
Filed: Thursday, 14th June 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
West Ham United are set to pay an astonishing £16m for Charlton striker
Darren Bent. It was confirmed late on Tuesday afternoon that the two clubs
had thrashed out a record-breaking deal, after Tottenham - Bent's preferred
destination - had pulled out of the race to sign the former Ipswich striker
earlier in the day. United's new-found financial clout proved too much for
Spurs - who refused to bid higher than £12m - to compete with and bar the
formalities of a medical, Bent is expected to be announced as a West Ham
player later today. Alan Curbishley is thought to be flying back to England
in order to meet Bent after cutting short a family holiday. As part of the
deal West Ham are expected to let Hayden Mullins rejoin his former boss Alan
Pardew at the Valley, making the deal worth around £18m in all given
Mullins' £2m valuation. Should the deal go ahead as expected Alan Curbishley
will have spent some £42.5m on new players this year - whilst yet more
signings are set to follow.
We're in the money: how Curbishley spent £42.5m in six months
6th January - Luis Boa Morte (£5m, Fulham)
8th January - Calum Davenport (£3m, Tottenham); Nigel Quashie (£2m, West
Brom)
22nd January - Lucas Neill (£1.5m, Blackburn)
31st January - Matthew Upson (£6m, Birmingham)
6th June - Scott Parker (£7m, Newcastle)
14th June? - Darren Bent (£16m + px, Charlton)
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Yossi backtracks - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 13th June 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
Yossi Benayoun is hoping that West Ham United will allow him to join
Liverpool. The Israeli midfielder - who had previously agreed to sign a new
five-year-deal with the Hammers - is reportedly upset at West Ham's decision
to reject a paltry bid of £3m from Liverpool for his services. And according
to his agent Ronen Katzav the 27-year-old midfielder is still hopeful that
he will be allowed to leave Upton Park, having reneged on his decision to
sign a new contract with the Hammers. "We will sit tomorrow with West Ham
and see where we are going to go," said Katsav after United told Liverpool
that Benayoun was not for sale. "It is an unpleasant situation after we
agreed terms but we will fight it. "Still, if West Ham decide not to sell
him he is theirs. But we will try to talk to them and convince them to let
Yossi go."
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Hammers net £17m Bent - The Sun
By CHARLIE WYETT and ANDREW DILLON
June 14, 2007
WEST HAM are poised to tie up a club-record £17million deal for Darren Bent
today. Charlton striker Bent is yet to make up his mind — but has promised
an answer within the next 24 hours. A surprise breakthrough was made
yesterday after the Addicks agreed to drop their asking price and West Ham
offered the player improved wages. Charlton initially demanded £18m — but
the two clubs compromised. West Ham will pay £16m in cash with midfielder
Hayden Mullins going the other way as part of the deal. Spurs were ready to
pay Bent £35,000 a week with Liverpool also interested. But West Ham beat
off the competition by bumping up their wage offer from £60,000 to £75,000 a
week. It means the whole deal will cost £36.5m with Bent due to earn £19.5m
over five years.
Bent, 23, will become the highest-paid player at Upton Park as he is
reunited with boss Alan Curbishley. It was Curbishley, when in charge of
Charlton, who paid Ipswich just £2.6m for the player two years ago. But the
Tractor Boys are also celebrating as they pocket almost £3m from a sell-on
clause guaranteeing them 20 per cent of any profit. Bent will join forces
with fellow England striker Dean Ashton to spearhead West Ham's attack in
the Premiership next season.
Bent becomes Curbishley's second major signing of the summer following the
£7m capture of Newcastle midfielder Scott Parker. But the Bent deal throws
more doubt over the future of Argentinian hitman Carlos Tevez. West Ham
insist the controversial star is committed to the club. But Italian champs
Inter Milan are confident of beating off Manchester United in their bid to
land Tevez, 23. Inter president Massimo Moratti has already opened talks
with Tevez's adviser and owner Kia Joorabchian. Moratti said: "It's true,
Tevez is a player we like a great deal. "He has true quality and great
character. He is just what Inter need."
Even though Tevez is contracted to the Hammers until 2010, a clause in his
agreement allows him to leave for just £100,000. Then it would be down to
the buyers to agree a compensation fee with Joorabchian's sports company
MSI. Inter are ready to offer up to £20m for outright ownership of Tevez,
who is lined up to replace the out-of- favour Adriano at the San Siro. And
that gives them the edge over Manchester United, who want to take Tevez on
loan for a season before signing a permanent deal next year. Tevez is still
not sure where his future lies — but admits he will never forget Hammers
fans. He said: "I'll always remember our final game of the season at Old
Trafford when our fans were singing 'Argentina, Argentina'. "For someone
like me, who had an uncle who fought for the Malvinas and knows the feeling
that existed after that war, it was incredible to hear that chant. "I was
amazed I could be an idol for English fans and it made a huge impression on
me."
The Hammers are also determined to hang on to midfielder Yossi Benayoun
after rejecting a £3m Liverpool bid. Upton Park chairman Eggert Magnusson
is now aiming to tie down the Israeli star to a five-year deal. Benayoun,
27, has two years left on his current £40,000-a-week contract. But Magnusson
is ready with a three-year extension and a £10,000-a- week rise to secure
his services. Liverpool made the bid on Tuesday in an attempt to derail
contract talks.
a.dillon@the-sun.co.uk
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Money-mad Hammers pay £17m for Bent - This Is London
14.06.07
West Ham swooped for Darren Bent last night in a £17million deal guaranteed
to send shockwaves through the transfer market. The Hammers have agreed to
pay £16m for Charlton's England striker with midfielder Hayden Mullins,
rated at £1m, heading to The Valley as part of the package. Bent, 23, has
agreed personal terms on a five-year contract worth £75,000 a week and will
fly home from holiday in the Caribbean for a medical. The transfer should be
completed by the weekend to confirm another coup for Alan Curbishley and his
big-spending West Ham board. In the end Tottenham, who bid £18m for Bent in
January and led the chase for so long, were simply overpowered by the
financial clout of the Hammers under Eggert Magnusson and his Icelandic
moneymen.
Even Liverpool, who made a discreet inquiry last weekend, baulked at
Charlton's £18m asking price for a player who has made just two appearances
for England in friendlies against Uruguay and Greece. Spurs had been
confident of signing Bent, who was keen to play in Europe to boost his
England prospects.
Manager Martin Jol may have been able to point to a young and improving team
which has finished fifth in the Premiership for the last two seasons but
that wasn't enough. Spurs refused to go higher than £12m this summer and pay
wages that would shatter their structure. The top earners at Spurs take home
£50,000 a week and their best offer to Bent was £35,000. Another trump card
for Curbishley was the fact that Charlton boss Alan Pardew was keen to take
Mullins to The Valley from his former club. Pardew was also keen on West
Ham's Marlon Harewood but Birmingham and Fulham are also interested in the
striker. Relegated Charlton reached the stage where they were anxious to
move Bent out and re-invest the money in new players to invigorate the club
and challenge for a swift return back to the Premier League. The Bent deal
is sure to be greeted with a cheer in Ipswich who will receive a £2.88m
sell-on fee as part of the agreement which took the striker to The Valley
for £2.6m. Charlton and Wigan were the only teams interested in Bent when
Ipswich wanted to sell him two years ago. Former Charlton boss Curbishley
signed him and Bent responded by scoring 31 Premiership goals in two seasons
and breaking into the England team. The pair will now be reunited at Upton
Park where Curbishley, having avoided relegation on the last day of the
season, is in the middle of a revolution. He has already lured Scott Parker
to the club from Newcastle, paying £7m and £73,000 a week. The Hammers
snatched Lucas Neill from under the nose of Liverpool in January, have tried
to hijack Joey Barton's move from Manchester City to Newcastle and made an
audacious bid to prise Andrew Johnson away from Everton, offering him
£90,000 a week. West Ham have Chelsea's Shaun Wright-Phillips in their
sights and are suddenly competing with Chelsea in terms of wages. But they
are fighting to hang on to Yossi Benayoun after rejecting a bid of £3m from
Liverpool. The 27-yearold Israel winger has two years left on his contract
and has still not signed an improved five-year deal agreed verbally last
month. Liverpool winger Mark Gonzalez has cast doubts on a return to Spain
with relegation-threatened Real Betis. He said: "I want to take my career
forwards, not backwards."
TOP 10 ALL-BRITISH TRANSFERS
1 RIO FERDINAND Leeds to Man Utd £29.1m
2 WAYNE ROONEY Everton to Man Utd £27m
3 SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS Man City to Chelsea £21m
4 MICHAEL CARRICK Tottenham to Man Utd £18.6m
5 RIO FERDINAND West Ham to Leeds £18m
6 DARREN BENT Charlton to West Ham £17m
7 DAMIEN DUFF Blackburn to Chelsea £17m
8 ALAN SHEARER Blackburn to Newcastle £15m
9 JUAN SEBASTIAN VERON Man Utd to Chelsea £15m
10 LOUIS SAHA Fulham to Man Utd £12.8m
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Noble does it for granddad - The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
June 14, 2007
MARK NOBLE represents tradition in a period of massive change at West Ham.
New foreign owners, new manager, the fallout from Carlos Tevez, plans for a
new stadium and pipe dreams of building a Champions League team from the
remnants of a squad that made a great escape from relegation last season.
Nothing is as it was at Upton Park — except for midfielder Noble. At the
moment his priority is helping England's Under-21s record their first win at
Euro 2007 when they face Italy tonight in Holland. But the East Ender from
Canning Town, who grew up watching from the stands at Upton Park, insists
thoughts of the Hammers and his close-knit family are never far away. Noble,
20, says the sudden death of his grandad Jim Jackson three years ago still
preys on his mind before every match and will inspire him to future success
with club and country. He said: "My grandad's sudden death was a massive
landmark in my life. It had a big effect on not just me but the whole
family. "He played golf three or four times a week, he was very fit and
strong. He was fine, then diagnosed with some sort of ulcer in his stomach.
He was told it was a lot smaller than it actually was. Two weeks later he
was gone. "It's such a shame he isn't around to see me playing in the
Premiership for West Ham. My family are big West Ham fans. "Before every
game he comes to me in my mind. "Whether it is for three or 30 seconds. I
just take a bit of time out to think about him and remind myself of what I
have achieved since he passed. "It inspires me and I just hope he is up
there somewhere looking down on me and blessing me. He died three years ago
but it's still with me. The whole family will be stronger for it. "I was in
the youth team at West Ham at the time. I made my debut just three or four
months after he died. It's so sad."
Noble often stayed at his grandad's house on school nights when he attended
the Royal Docks School. West Ham's young crowd favourite left with GCSE's in
PE, Art and English and openly admits he thought academia was a Scottish
football team. He worked his way up through England's schoolboy levels to
captain the Under-18s and was a playing substitute in the opening fixture of
this campaign — a 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic. Noble is fast gaining a
reputation as a skilful and solid midfielder and is so young his schoolboy
hero was former West Ham star Joe Cole, himself only 26! He said: "Watching
Joe Cole at Upton Park encouraged me. It shows that at clubs like West Ham
there is a chance to make it from youth team to first team. "It's important
for West Ham to keep that tradition going. The club has such a good
reputation for it, one of the best in football. "All the boys in the England
squad say when they come to West Ham the atmosphere is unbelievable. When
it's good it's very good, but when it's bad it's very bad — which we saw a
bit of last season.
"Hopefully that will change next season. There are exciting times ahead.
"The thought of everyone I know being there at games gives me a buzz — they
have season tickets and go home and away. It's mad. My uncle also goes in
the crowd at England games with a Cross of St George and my name on it!"
a.dillon@the-sun.co.uk
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West Ham eye Bent
By Charles Carrick
Last Updated: 1:16am BST 14/06/2007
West Ham are understood to be lining up a £17 million move for Charlton
striker Darren Bent. The 23-year-old England international is expected to
earn £19.5 million as part of the five year deal. West Ham would pay £16
million in cash with midfielder Hayden Mullins moving to the Valley as a
makeweight.
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Hammers close on Bent for £17m
Shaul Adar
Thursday June 14, 2007
The Guardian
West Ham United hope to tie up a deal for Charlton Athletic's Darren Bent.
They were reported last night to have agreed a transfer for the striker
worth a club-record £17m, with the England international considering whether
to make the move or hold out for alternatives.
West Ham's offer is believed to comprise £16m plus the midfielder Hayden
Mullins, with whom the Charlton manager, Alan Pardew, worked at Upton Park.
Bent has been offered huge wages, reportedly £75,000 a week, to persuade him
to move to Upton Park.
Alan Curbishley, West Ham's manager, was understood to be returning last
night from holiday to seal the transfer, with West Ham beating Tottenham
Hotspur for Bent's signature on a four-year contract. His move from Charlton
has been expected after their relegation from the Premiership last season.
Yossi Benayoun, meanwhile, is keen to leave Upton Park to join Liverpool .
The midfielder has agreed terms with West Ham on a new contract worth about
£50,000 a week but has not signed it because he is aware of interest from
the Anfield club, who would pay lower wages.
Liverpool have off ered West Ham about £3m for Benayoun but have been told
the 27-year-old midfi elder is not for sale. Ronen Katzav, Benayoun's agent,
said yesterday: "We will sit tomorrow with West Ham and see where we are
going to go. It is an unpleasant situation after we agreed terms but we will
fi ght it. Still, if West Ham decide not to sell him [we will have to accept
that] - he is theirs. We will try to talk to them and convince them to let
Yossi go."
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Television deal lifts average take to £1.1m
Matt Scott
Thursday June 14, 2007
The Guardian
West Ham United's spending on wages might provoke complaint from their
Premiership peers but the club are merely repositioning themselves at
historic levels of expenditure. In 2001-02, when they finished seventh in
the Premiership, they were the sixth-biggest payers behind Manchester
United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Over the next
four years, when the Hammers suffered relegation and a two-year spell in the
Championship before returning to the top flight to become FA Cup finalists,
there were 10 clubs with bigger wage costs.
West Ham were the only Premiership team in the 2005-06 season to have
generated a transfer surplus over the previous five years - having pulled in
more than £9.25m - which suggests they have some serious catching up to do
to keep pace with their rivals.
Tottenham increased their spending on salaries over the 2005-06 season by
£7.5m and Everton by £6.1m. If West Ham are to achieve their stated aim of
being in contention for Europe again, a free-spending attitude seems
necessary.
According to football-business analysts at the accountancy firm Deloitte,
West Ham will not be the only club pouring ever greater sums into the
pockets of players. That has been made possible by the £2.7bn broadcast deal
that comes into play for the season ahead. Even the most average Premiership
player is expected to see his salary rise to more than £1m a year.
"The significant increase in broadcasting rights revenue to Premier League
clubs will fuel significant increases in wage costs over the short-to-medium
term," said Deloitte in its recent annual review of football finance.
"We expect that Premier League clubs' total wage costs will exceed £1bn for
the first time in 2007-08, [and that] the average annual gross earnings for
a Premier League player in 2007-08 will be in the region of £1.1m [from, in
2005-06,] £0.9m. During the time frame of the new broadcasting rights deals
there may be English football's first player to earn £10m per annum from a
club, equivalent to £200,000 per week."
The Premiership had seemed to be heading for a levelling off of player wages
in 2004-05, when total wages fell by 3%, the first time there had been a
reduction. This was due to a tightening or consolidation of wage expenditure
at 10 of the 20 top-division clubs.
The following season five clubs oversaw a drop in salary costs, notably
Manchester City's £3.3m fall and Fulham's £3.8m reduction, but that could
not prevent an overall 9% rise in expenditure on wages. That sent the
wages-to- turnover ratio at Premiership clubs to 62%; with total Premiership
turnover rising from about £1.3bn to closer to £1.7bn next season, clubs
will be able to afford significant increases this summer.
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West Ham lead the way as Premiership salaries soar
A Ridsdale-like spree in the East End has other clubs worried and agents
excited, writes Michael Walker
Thursday June 14, 2007
The Guardian
It will be dismissed as anecdotal but within English football, and
specifically among agents, the following story is circulating and generating
huge excitement. A player from a third-tier club who moved recently to a
Championship club - one not so long ago in the Premiership - has seen his
basic £1,500-a-week salary increase not five times, nor 10, but 15 times.
The player's agent did not demand this sum; it was the club's opening
gambit.
The belief that wages in football are soaring uncontrollably is
understandable. In April a Professional Footballers' Association survey
found that the average annual salary of a Premiership player is now £676,000
- £13,000 a week - a rise of 65% on 2000. The accountancy firm Deloitte puts
the figure much higher.
It is repeated continually that agents are driving this inflation, and
numerous chairmen and directors will support that theory. What is
acknowledged less often by these chairmen is that clubs have long
contributed to the situation.
Behind the scenes now, however, some Premiership chief executives are very
anxious about wage escalation. "There's a little bit of fear out there at
the moment," Nicky Hammond, Reading's director of football, said yesterday.
"Everyone seems to be keeping their powder dry. The numbers being talked
about this season are well in excess of last year in terms of both wages and
transfers."
Although no one has gone public - yet - the club many are pointing the
finger at is West Ham United. Their chairman, Eggert Magnusson, is now being
branded "Father Christmas" by some rivals and, perhaps more worryingly,
"Ridsdale" by others. "There's no doubt in my mind that West Ham has had an
effect," says a senior figure at another Premiership club.
Annoyance stems from an open-wallet approach to the market, demonstrated on
January 22 when Blackburn's Lucas Neill walked into Upton Park on a free
transfer. Sources close to the deal have confirmed that Neill, by no means a
star player, earns £72,000 a week in east London. He had the option to go to
Liverpool but his wage there would have been "a fraction" of what he gets at
West Ham.
Within boardrooms the Neill deal is being regarded as a landmark transfer.
When asked on Tuesday about the Australian, the Middlesbrough chairman,
Steve Gibson, said: "I don't know the details of Lucas Neill other than what
I read. What I can comment on are the demands we have suffered from in the
last three or four weeks. That would suggest agents are trying to push the
barriers again. But that's the business and I am a businessman. But I have
seen some of the deals that have gone through in recent weeks and I'm glad
we haven't been involved in them."
Gibson is in a slightly tricky position. Middlesbrough, because of fashion
and location, have had to pay sometimes exorbitant wages and Tuncay Sanli,
whose signing was confirmed yesterday, is believed to be on £60,000 a week
after his free transfer from Fenerbahce. One Istanbul sports daily printed
pictures of his head on £20 notes to illustrate one reason why he is moving
to Teesside. But he may be Middlesbrough's big glamour signing, whereas at
West Ham and elsewhere the water-carriers are also being lavishly rewarded.
One agent recounted a tale of another West Ham player - who is less regarded
generally than Neill - having his wages trebled a few weeks ago.
Harry Redknapp knows the market better than most and the Portsmouth manager
- formerly at West Ham - lamented: "Craig Bellamy would do for us. But West
Ham want him and would double his wages to £100,000 a week. How do you
compete with that? We've got no chance of getting Bellamy. We're all looking
for strikers but the market's gone crazy."
A new television deal is one explanation of the sharp rise in wages but new
owners are also a factor. The Icelandic owners' fortune underwrites West Ham
but even so the comparison is being made with Peter Ridsdale's Leeds.
It was only this January that Ken Bates revealed that Gary Kelly's weekly
wage at Leeds since 2001 has been £46,000 a week. "Twelve million pounds
over five years," said the chairman. "I worked out that all the money that
Leeds earned getting to the semi-finals of the Champions League was handed
to Kelly with his new contract." Five years on, Leeds are in the third
division. By 2012 they may still not have recovered. But Gary Kelly will
still be a multimillionaire. As will Lucas Neill.
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West Ham eye a challenge for the Champions League - footballingworld.com
14th June, 2007. By Matthew Day
West Ham are not behaving like a club mired in controversy and awaiting news
from an arbitration panel on whether Sheffield United will take their place
in the Premier League, consequently sending them down to the Championship.
Instead, chairman Eggert Magnusson is set on securing European football –
and that means rivalling Chelsea's spending power in terms of wages and
outbidding other big-spenders such as Tottenham, Newcastle and Liverpool.
The most recent acquisition is Charlton's Darren Bent, arriving for an
incredible £16m, who joins Scott Parker and surely many further prominent
and expensive names. Having failed to cope with just two Argentine egos last
season, the impact of having a starting eleven all earning in excess of
£70,000 each week will be intriguing. They might follow the route of
Newcastle in recent seasons and culminate in mid-table or, in the best case
scenario, replicate Tottenham's success. Martin Jol has guided Spurs to
consecutive fifth-placed finishes following significant funding, but West
Ham are looking to the Champions League – fourth position – in 2008.
Arsenal are refusing to seriously strengthen their squad, so Magnusson
believes the final Champions League position is up for grabs for whoever is
brave enough to attempt to break the top four monopoly. Despite the recent
spate of takeovers, it has not necessarily meant an increasing number of
Premier League clubs all of a sudden have millions and millions of pounds to
expend. For West Ham, though, Magnusson has thrilled by opening his pockets
and deciding Alan Curbishley can proceed with a summer of spending. In
return, he wants the East London side to join the cream of Europe in the
lucrative Champions League.
It seems a laughable concept that a side who avoided relegation on the final
day of the season could face AC Milan or Barcelona 16 months later, but if a
chequebook is left open, then progress up to the opposite end of the league
table is certainly attainable. It is a myth that the top four – Manchester
United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal – are unmovable. Tottenham almost,
and indeed should have, joined the select group in 2006 and Newcastle
enjoyed consecutive seasons there under Bobby Robson. Will West Ham be next
to shake up the mix?
The arrival of Bent, who attracted offers from both Tottenham and Liverpool,
is symptomatic of Magnusson's grand ambitions. The Charlton forward has been
consistent in his time at the Valley, and should give West Ham at least 20
goals a season, if not more, especially if the succulent talent of Carlos
Tévez is persuaded to stay. Tévez is still the only truly world class
footballer at the club, and can provide the impetus for the push for
Champions League football. Great consistency is needed to climax inside the
top four, and that means winning matches when not playing well and being
able to trouble and take points from the likes of Manchester United,
Chelsea, and rivals for the position, Tottenham.
All West Ham supporters acknowledge any aspirations are pending on Tévez's
future. It is imperative that the ex-Boca Juniors prodigy is kept at Upton
Park in order to separate the club from the Champions League pretenders; the
likes of Newcastle and Bolton, and perhaps even Tottenham. As interest from
Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Liverpool and others from across the continent
continues, West Ham must convince their star that he can win trophies and
play amongst the best clubs without the need to change address. If
Curbishley fails to guide the club into any European competition by the end
of next season, Tévez would then almost certainly depart, but for now he has
to believe in the Hammers' mission.
It is in with the new and out with the old. Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson and
Luis Boa Morte represent the former after arriving in January, while Hayden
Mullins, Marlon Harewood and Nigel Reo-Coker are heading for the exit door
as Curbishley is finally able to build and shape his team. If success isn't
guaranteed next season, then fun and fireworks definitely are.
The cash will continue to be splashed – most likely at inflated prices –
with players such as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Freddie Ljungberg, and Andy
Johnson linked recently, plus the bonus of having striker Dean Ashton
returning after missing the entire 2006/7 campaign with injury. First
though, Curbishley will have to persuade the excellent Yossi Benayoun to
rebuff Liverpool. The influential Israeli midfielder was the subject of a
refused £3m bid and Rafael Benítez is set to raise the stakes to ensure he
acquires the 27-year-old.
A takeover provides excitement and hope for all supporters, and those in
West Ham are immediately seeing the benefits of having new, foreign owners.
Last season was one to erase from the memory, and that process can be
catalysed by achieving unprecedented success in 2008. Qualification for the
Uefa Cup is a minimum target, and West Ham are also expected to challenge
for both domestic trophies. However, it is only by qualifying for the
Champions League that Magnusson's elaborate spending will be vindicated, and
finishing inside the top four looks a distinct possibility if Curbishley
continues to bring in fresh faces and is able to hold on to both Tévez and
Benayoun.
Joining Europe's elite truly would add a pertinently happy ending to the
West Ham story and saga.
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EGG SHELLS OUT - The Mirror
EXCLUSIVE ..Hammers rage at Kop after 'insulting' £1M Benayoun bid
By John Cross 14/06/2007
LIVERPOOL boss Rafa Benitez has enraged West Ham by launching an "insulting"
£1million bid for Yossi Benayoun. The 27-year-old Hammers midfielder has now
stalled on signing a new five-year contract after telling pals he fancies a
move to Anfield. But Liverpool's cheeky attempt to get Benayoun on the cheap
has made West Ham determined not to let him go. Liverpool wanted to pay just
£1m down now, with a further £1m instalment in 12 months' time, but it has
been rejected out of hand by West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson. Benitez has
however unsettled Benayoun, who was yesterday due to sign his improved
£50,000-a-week deal at Upton Park. Benayoun, who is also advised by super
agent Pini Zahavi, cancelled the meeting claiming that one of his
representatives, Romen Katzav, could not make it. Israeli Benayoun was
offered his new contract by West Ham less than three weeks ago - and he
claimed then he would be "delighted" to stay as the club had the "best
supporters in England".
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West Ham set fee for Harewood
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
West Ham are ready to sell striker Marlon Harewood for £3.75 million. The
Times says Fulham had an offer of about £3 million for Harewood turned down,
but West Ham are willing to do a deal if the offer is raised by £750,000.
Birmingham City and Portsmouth have also inquired about Harewood.
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Birmingham, Fulham battle for West Ham's Harewood
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
Birmingham City and Fulham are slugging it out for West Ham striker Marlon
Harewood. Charlton boss Alan Pardew wanted Harewood in the £17 million that
is taking Darren Bent to Upton Park, but the striker wants to remain in the
Premiership next season.
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West Ham cash too much for Spurs in Bent battle
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
West Ham simply blew Tottenham away in the race for Charlton Athletic
striker Darren Bent. The Hammers are signing Bent for £17 million, which was
offered by Spurs in January, says the Daily Mail. Spurs had been confident
of signing Bent, who was keen to play in Europe to boost his England
prospects. Manager Martin Jol may have been able to point to a young and
improving team which has finished fifth in the Premiership for the last two
seasons but that wasn't enough. Spurs refused to go higher than £12m this
summer and pay wages that would shatter their structure. The top earners at
Spurs take home £50,000 a week and their best offer to Bent was £35,000. He
will earn a massive £75,000 a week at Upton Park.
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Noble hopes West Ham contines to develop own talent
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
Mark Noble hopes moneybags West Ham will maintain the tradition of grooming
their own talent. Noble is fast gaining a reputation as a skilful and solid
midfielder and is so young his schoolboy hero was former West Ham star Joe
Cole, himself only 26! He told The Sun: "Watching Joe Cole at Upton Park
encouraged me. It shows that at clubs like West Ham there is a chance to
make it from youth team to first team. "It's important for West Ham to keep
that tradition going. The club has such a good reputation for it, one of the
best in football. "All the boys in the England squad say when they come to
West Ham the atmosphere is unbelievable. When it's good it's very good, but
when it's bad it's very bad ' which we saw a bit of last season. "Hopefully
that will change next season. There are exciting times ahead. "The thought
of everyone I know being there at games gives me a buzz - they have season
tickets and go home and away. It's mad. My uncle also goes in the crowd at
England games with a Cross of St George and my name on it!"
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Liverpool make offer for West Ham's Benayoun
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun has attracted a bid from Liverpool. The
Daily Mail says the Hammers are fighting to hang on to Benayoun after
rejecting a bid of £3m from Liverpool. The 27-year-old Israel winger has
two years left on his contract and has still not signed an improved
five-year deal agreed verbally last month. Ronen Katzav, Benayoun's agent,
said yesterday: "We will sit tomorrow with West Ham and see where we are
going to go. It is an unpleasant situation after we agreed terms but we will
fight it. Still, if West Ham decide not to sell him [we will have to accept
that] - he is theirs. We will try to talk to them and convince them to let
Yossi go."
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West Ham clinch £17M Bent deal
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
West Ham United have clinched a £17 million agreement with Charlton for
striker Darren Bent. The Hammers have agreed to pay £16m for Charlton's
England striker with midfielder Hayden Mullins, rated at £1m, heading to The
Valley as part of the package. Bent, 23, has agreed personal terms on a
five-year contract worth £75,000 a week and will fly home from holiday in
the Caribbean for a medical. The transfer should be completed by the
weekend to confirm another coup for Alan Curbishley and his big-spending
West Ham board, says the Daily Mail.
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West Ham to rattle Chelsea with Wright-Phillips bid
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
West Ham United are set to bid for Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.
After securing Scott Parker (Newcastle) and Darren Bent (Charlton) in the
last fortnight on wages of over £70,000-a-week, the Hammers are confident
they can tempt SWP away from Stamford Bridge this summer, says the Daily
Mail.
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Tevez: West Ham fans incredible
tribalfooball.com - June 13, 2007
West Ham ace Carlos Tevez is still not sure where his future lies ' but
admits he will never forget Hammers fans. He said: "I'll always remember our
final game of the season at Old Trafford when our fans were singing
'Argentina, Argentina'. "For someone like me, who had an uncle who fought
for the Malvinas and knows the feeling that existed after that war, it was
incredible to hear that chant. "I was amazed I could be an idol for English
fans and it made a huge impression on me."
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