Here are the West Ham United lunchtime headlines for Monday, June 8.
David Moyes confirms minor injuries
West Ham manager David Moyes will have a larger squad at his disposal when the Premier League return, confirming that previously-injured trio Ryan Fredericks, Andriy Yarmolenko and Jack Wilshere in full training.
That ought to be a big boost in the battle against relegation, but as a spate of soft tissue injuries in the Bundesliga have demonstrated, there’s a danger of suffering setbacks after nearly three months without the practice of regular matches.
Without naming names, Moyes confirmed that there have been a couple of minor issues, although he remains hopeful that he’ll have a full squad at his disposal for their return to action at home to Wolves on Saturday, June 20.
“We’ve done everything we can to get them in a good condition and I think they’re ready to play. We need some practice, but overall, I think we’re in a good position at this moment in time,” he told the club’s official website.
“It’s allowed us to get some injured players back in as well. We’ve got Ryan Fredericks and Andriy Yarmolenko back, who were missing, and Jack Wilshere is back in full training.
“It’ll be the same for most clubs, but most clubs will also pick up some injuries when you’re training during pre-season. We’re in a sort of pre-season type feel and mode, and we’ve had a couple of small injuries, but hopefully we’ll all be okay for the restart.”
QPR set to play hardball over Ebere Eze fee
West Ham could be left frustrated in their pursuit of highly-rated Queens Park Rangers forward Ebere Eze, according to The Mail.
The 21-year-old, who has been heavily linked with a move to West Ham after registering 12 goals and eight assists for QPR in the Championship this season, could cost a substantial amount.
The report suggests that his £20m price tag could be a “stumbling block” for the West London club, while a potentially newly-minted Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be watching his progress closely.
Hammers-linked Seko Fofana to leave Udinese this summer
Italian outlet Calciomercato report that Udinese midfielder Seko Fofana could leave the Serie A club this summer.
The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international, who spent time developing in Manchester City’s academy, has become a mainstay of Udinese’s midfield in recent years, making nearly 100 appearances since his debut in 2016.
He remains contracted at the club until 2022, but is said to be considering his options elsewhere, with Udinese currently squandering in the bottom half of the Italian top flight.
That could be a boost for West Ham in their summer recruitment strategy, while London rivals Crystal Palace had been linked with him last summer.
He’s valued in the region of £17m.
