West Ham’s players will be due back in pre-season training next week with just a month remaining before the 2020/21 season gets underway.
The Hammers players will have had three weeks off after the conclusion of last season by the time they return to Rush Green, initially on Sunday to be weighed and have their bodies checked over, every player will undergo a COVID-19 test as well upon their return.
It’s the usual protocol the players go through each summer, apart from the COVID test of course, to make sure the players have been looking after themselves while they have been on their holidays this summer.
Then on Monday they will return to full training under the guidance of David Moyes and his backroom staff of Alan Irvine, Kevin Nolan, Paul Nevin and goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero as preparations will get underway for next season.
Football.London understands the Hammers will be playing some pre-season friendlies prior to the season kicking off on September 12, behind closed doors of course, and they will be based in England and won’t be heading abroad. Moyes himself hasn't taken a holiday though he has been away from London for the past three weeks.
There isn’t expected to be any new arrivals at Rush Green on Monday as Moyes takes his time in the transfer market though the club has dismissed reports that Chelsea have made a bid for Declan Rice.
Reports from Sky Sport in Italy claimed that Frank Lampard has made his move to sign the former Blues youngster but sources have told football.london that no bid has arrived for Rice.
Any bid, certainly one of £50million, will be rejected straight away if it arrives as the Hammers value their star midfielder around at least £70million, if not more, to any potential suitors this summer. Chelsea have long held an interest in taking Rice back to the west of the capital as Lampard sees him as the player to fix Chelsea’s defensive deficiencies that reared their head this season.
The only play subject to a bid of any type this summer has been Albian Ajeti, who is wanted by Celtic but the striker is still mulling over the move north of the border. The switch would initially be a year-long loan with an obligation to buy. Reports that Ajeti is close to completing a move are wide of the mark as the player is still assessing his options.
