Here are the latest West Ham headlines for Monday, June 15.
Haller rediscovers goalscoring touch
West Ham United’s record signing Sebastien Haller has blown hot and cold since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt, with a number of fans dissatisfied with the Frenchman’s output.
Haller has scored seven league goals after arriving for £45 million last summer but has looked isolated at times and only has three goals to his name since mid-October.
However, the suspension of the Premier League has given him an opportunity to play himself into form with West Ham embarking on friendlies against QPR and Crystal Palace ahead of their return to competitive action on 20 June.
Haller appeared leaner and fitter in the two games, and also found the net against both opponents.
This comes at the ideal time, even if it serves as a reminder that the former Frankfurt man has only scored in back-to-back league games once this season.
West Ham boss David Moyes will hope the frontman is able to take the form into West Ham’s final nine league games, the first of which comes against Wolves on Saturday.
Hammers linked with move for Spain international
While West Ham are relatively well-stocked for goalkeepers, all of those on the club’s books are in their 30s.
With Lukasz Fabianski having turned 35 in April and David Martin and Darren Randolph one and two years younger respectively, the club may eventually look to bring in a more youthful man between the sticks.
It could be sooner rather than later, too, with Estadio Deportivo reporting - citing Italian publication Il Sussidario - that West Ham are one of a number Premier League clubs in contention to sign Roma goalkeeper Pau Lopez.
The Spanish international spent the 2016/17 season in England, serving as back-up to Hugo Lloris at Tottenham, but didn’t make a single appearance for the club.
Now, though, he could be in line for a return to the Premier League after just one season with Roma, with West Ham, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur mentioned as potential destinations.
Roma are in danger of missing out on Champions League football for the second straight campaign as they trail fourth-place Atalanta by three points having played a game more.
West Ham face £280,000 decision
While much has been made of Jeremy Ngakia’s contract situation at West Ham, the youngster isn’t the only right-back whose deal is due to come to an end on June 30.
Pablo Zabaleta is also set to leave the club at the end of the month, with the Hammers yet to reach an agreement to extend his contract and his weekly wages in the region of £70,000 an issue.
Zabaleta had not been expected to remain at West Ham beyond June but the delay to the 2019/20 campaign’s conclusion means it would cost nearly £300,000 to keep the veteran on board when there is no guarantee he would be needed.
The former Manchester City man has made just six league starts all season and even if Ngakia leaves at the end of June, West Ham would still be able to call upon Ryan Fredericks and Ben Johnson at right-back.
While on-loan midfielder Tomas Soucek has agreed an extension until the Premier League’s new end-date and West Ham are still hopeful of changing Ngakia’s mind, there’s no update on Zabaleta or fellow fringe player Carlos Sanchez.
However, Sanchez - who hasn’t played a minute in the league under Moyes - isn’t expected to be offered new terms.
