Zola closes on Chamakh

Fri, 21 Aug 10:26:08 2009

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is edging closer to signing Bordeaux forward Marouane Chamakh and is looking to sell James Collins to push the deal through.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis is still hopeful of signing Collins but the Hammers are also waiting to see if Aston Villa are willing to bid for the 25-year-old centre-back.

The money for Collins would be used for Morocco international Chamakh, who is needed to support Carlton Cole as Zola's only senior striker.

Chamakh wants to leave his French club and earlier in the summer was on the radar of Arsenal but Arsene Wenger felt his price was too expensive for a player whose contract is running out.

Meanwhile, left-back Herita Ilunga's facial injury means he is rated as doubtful to face Tottenham on Sunday in the Barclays Premier League clash at Upton Park.

Jonathan Spector is a likely replacement but Fabio Daprela, the Switzerland Under-19 international, impressed in a behind-closed-doors practice match against Watford.

Radoslav Kovac also featured in the 2-1 win, his first appearance since signing a permanent deal with the club. Josh Payne and Zavon Hines scored the goals in the friendly.

 

Comment 1 - 13 of 13

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  1. not avin any ov it.collins is blindin player-aint renew­ season ticket 2 c quality players like ginge leavin the­ club. davenport/spector/gabbidon-can leave defence.
    boa­ morte/quashie midfield can leave-along with dean ashton­ who has piled on the pounds
    since injury.the squad is­ strong ENGLAND NO1 KEEPER-DECENT DEFENCE-AND STRONG­ MIDFIELD
    ITS THE ATTACKING OPTIONS WHERE WESTHAM NEED­ TO INVEST_
    SUNDAY WILL B A TEST AGAINST SPURS BUT 1 I­ AM LOOKING FORWARD 2.
    PREDICT 2-1 WIN TO THE HAMMERS

    From stephen, on Sat 22 Aug 2:50AM

  2. Am i missing somthing here , surely we need to build­ the team around Collins and Upson.

    From dawnanddave123, on Fri 21 Aug 7:26PM

  3. I love Ginge to bits, but I'd rather sell him than­ Upson. Also people who say sell Gabbidon, nobody will­ buy him and he is of much lesser value (money-wise)­ so...
    And to the guy who said sell 'older'­ players such as Davenport and Spector, They are both of­ the same age as collins so...
    We need a striker... we­ have to sell to buy, they've said that all along,­ Collins has been a great servant to the club and I wish­ him all the best in the future, wherever he is!

    From jake, on Fri 21 Aug 6:27PM

  4. Zola & Clarke need their brains tested selling or­ even thinking about allowing Collins to be sold, good­ strong young defender who always gives 100%. Even­ though its obviously the owners have told Zola &­ Clarke they must sell if they want to buy, the opposite­ to what we are being told, I would have thought Zola­ & Clarke would have had more sense than to let­ Collins go, we should be building around players like­ him. Whats to say Gabbidon is going to return anywhere­ near the player he was. Agree with previous writer, we­ should get rid of the older fringe players, Davenport­ & Spector etc.

    From raymond.norris1, on Fri 21 Aug 5:07PM

  5. What's happened to Ashton? He needs a six months­ training session to shed the excess weight and fit into­ a West Ham team shirt the fat, lazy mercenary. They­ don't make XXXXXX extra large.

    From Ronsenglish, on Fri 21 Aug 11:44AM

  6. Marouane Chamakh will think all his birthdays and­ Christmas's have come at once. Like all the players­ from that part of the world, he'll go home and­ disappear when it suits him, train when it suits him,­ turn in a good performance when it suits him. Buy a­ European I don't care if he's brown, yellow or­ green, but someone who won't get his head turned by­ fame and fortune.

    From Ronsenglish, on Fri 21 Aug 11:41AM

  7. Selling Collins is ridiculous. What a mistake that is.­ He was outstanding last season and will only get­ better. I know Gabbidon is back but he's not fully­ fit and is prone to going to sleep just before a long­ ball bounces in front of him.

    From Delbut,Dirk,Plank,Delboy et al., on Fri 21 Aug 9:41AM

  8. This message is very simple -James Collins is a quality­ player and must feel very let down by the Hammers. He­ is big,strong reads the game well and chips in with a­ few goals each season so why get rid of him. Keep­ selling the fringe players - Specter,Davenport,Dyer,.­ We need to keep our best 11 on the pitch and Collins is­ in that 11. Hammers to win 2-1 ....

    From ALISON, on Fri 21 Aug 9:07AM

  9. Collins is far too good to go! find another way!

    From steven, on Thu 20 Aug 8:10PM

  10. Spurs has 4 strikers of note
    West Ham have 1 ( WHY-WHY­ )
    are we serious in challenging for results
    this­ weekend should be interesting

    From royhill61, on Thu 20 Aug 6:59PM

  11. who is this @#$% who wants to give a play station­ away
    This is football / who cares

    From royhill61, on Thu 20 Aug 6:52PM

  12. So the board LIED then. GZ DID have to sell to be able­ to buy.

    But why Collins, our best CB and only 25­ ?

    Collins should be a guaranteed starter for the next­ 6-8 years... bl**dy ridiculous. Would have been better­ selling Davenport and Spector.... oh I forgot,­ we're NOT selling, are we !!

    From Phil, on Thu 20 Aug 5:16PM

  13. We need a striker... but what has happened to ashton??­ i know he was unfit for the pre season tour, but where­ has he gone???

    From paul.hopkinson, on Thu 20 Aug 5:14PM
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