monday's news 15th july includes west ham

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monday's news 15th july includes west ham

Post by cockney hammer »

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33 day's to go


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Duvan Zapata of Colombia




West Ham hire former Manchester United solicitor to help them land work permit for Duvan Zapata




West Ham have hired former Manchester United solicitor Maurice Watkins to help land Duvan Zapata.

MirrorSport revealed that the Hammers had agreed a £6.7million fee with Estudiantes for the South American striker.

But the deal, including a four-year contract, is all subject to a work permit.

Watkins will now represent the club at a hearing next week to try to secure the 22-year-old's future in England.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce wants the exciting Colombian to partner Andy Carroll.

Allardyce's scouts have been excited by Zapata's pace and power and want to land him.

Carroll is due to miss the start of the season injured and Zapata is seen as a good short-term replacement - and partner when the targetman returns.

Zapata is yet to play for his country but is expected to feature in next summer's World Cup finals.

He does not satisfy present conditions for a permit but West Ham are quietly confident because he is such a talent.

They will argue to an appeals panel that the 6ft 2in ace will make a significant contribution to the game here and point to Colombia's position at No.3 in Fifa's rankings in the hope of gaining the green light.

Zapata scored 14 goals last season for Estudiantes and has attracted interest from top European clubs including Borussia Dortmund and Porto.



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Big Sam fears Uncle Sam

Sam Allardyce fears Fulham’s billionaire new owner Shahid Khan will price West Ham out of the market for signings, writes MirrorFootball.

Jackonsville Jaguars owner Khan last week paid £150million to buy the Hammers’ London rivals from Mohammed Al Fayed.

Allardyce said: “Now Fulham are in new hands it will make it harder to attract players to West Ham as they will probably pay more money than us. Shahid Khan has inherited a successful Premier League side.”



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The most exciting West Ham youngster ever?


Ravel Morrison returned from his loan to Birmingham City to rejoin with West Ham. Many were unsure whether he was ever going to be in Big Sam’s plans or if he was going to hang around to find out. Having gone through two pre-season games to date, versus Cork and Boreham Wood, Morrison has played in both and netted in both games. Although these games are barely meant to be a true test of the players, Big Sam couldn’t possibly ignore the fact that he has shown some desire to make it at West Ham.

I am personally really excited about the prospect Ravel holds. He is a huge risk having pushed Fergie to the end of his tether but he is still so talented and possesses a certain British flair which is really exciting. His bad boy demeanour can sometimes work in the favour of the team of which the “bad boy” plays for. He could certainly rattle opponents but I would hope that he would rather let his feet do the talking.

His flair and finishing from a player in the CAM role, which at West Ham is pretty much a “free-roam” role, is what suggests him as the most exciting youngster on our books, as he has come at the perfect time to fit the style of play, but to add a refreshing spin.

I’m not sure if i can pinpoint exactly what makes him such an exciting prospect but I can’t wait to see him get his groove on in the Premier League in the coming season, and I hope he does get the chance.



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West Ham United To Bid For Inter Midfielder?


Zdravko Kuzmanovic InterWest Ham United are said to be preparing a bid for Inter’s Zdravko Kuzmanovic.

Hammers coach Sam Allardyce has named the Serbian midfielder as one of his favourite summer targets and his board are preparing to test the water.

According to the English newspaper the Metro, West Ham are ready to propose a bid of €5 million to the Nerazzurri to secure the services of the 25-year-old.

If the bid is accepted, it is reported that Kuzmanovic would be offered a four-year contract with wages that would make him amongst the best paid at the Boleyn Ground as Allardyce looks to reshape his midfield before the new season.

The Serbian joined Inter in the January transfer window having spent three and a half seasons with Stuttgart, moving to the German side from Fiorentina.



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Allardyce’s Claret ‘n’ Blue Army?

Cards on the table from me; I never wanted Allardyce to manage West Ham. Indeed I remain ambivalent about the man, his tactics and methods whilst being hugely grateful for the season just gone and proud to be back in the Premier League. I suspect that contradiction is shared by tens of thousands of Hammers to be honest. I can’t recall his name being sung, even by the mad-dog passionate away army and I think that tells you something.

In a response to the last post by @Westhamunitednews (Paul), he captured some of the remaining concerns about the man, his philosophy and his self confessed denigration of ‘the West Ham way’. Paul, like many of us, is proud of our heritage, our traditions, our Tony Carr, our Academy products. Like many of us, he doesn’t really get too enthused by the prospect of turning into a club that just spots the good buys from wheresoever they might come and by assembling a squad of professionals with no link to our academy but who will do a job for a season, for two seasons, three even maybe. Paul expresses his concerns in this regard eloquently and I have taken the liberty of reproducing them here:

On the subject of Hall leaving, I’ve been concerned for a while that some of the young players haven’t made it – Sears, Stanislas, Hines (and others), and Spence might end up in that category. Players seem to be impatient for their break into the senior squad. I also wonder if the youth system often produces players that are not Allardyce-style players. Hall might fit in to the Maynard/Baldock mould of small strikers that don’t fit the Allardyce system unless they can also play on the wing. It remains to be seen whether Maiga fits or not (I’m not accusing Allardyce of being a nothing-but-long-ball manager, just that, with one up front, there’s little or no room for small, quick, strikers). Another possibility of course is that the youth system simply isn’t as good as it we’ve come to expect. Short to medium term we may see quite a few young players leave. Longer term the youth system might have to adapt to Allardyce, along with producing higher quality players. On a more positive note, secure Premiership status and the prospect of the Olympic Stadium might make it easier to produce, give chances to, and retain, good quality young players.

So, I put it out there – where do you stand with Allardyce? Do you see him as a manager for expedience until we take our place in the OS in 2016, charged with ensuring survival until then? Do you buy into the new ‘West Ham way’ based upon football of necessity rather than style or flair? Do you see improvement? (The Championship season I would conjecture was at times horrible whilst certainly last season’s home form was impressive).

Can you see yourself, or indeed the other 34.999, singing Allar-Dyce’s Claret ‘N’ Blue Army…….?



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SUNDERLAND are one of four Premier League clubs to have been credited with an interest in West Brom frontman Peter Odemwingie.

The 31-year-old has been looking to leave the Hawthorns since his proposed January move to QPR fell through.

Sunderland, West Ham, Hull and Fulham have all been linked to Odemwingie today, who could be available for as little as £1.5million.

But it seems unlikely that the Black Cats would look to boost their front-line with the Nigerian.

Sunderland’s transfer policy this summer has centred around promising youngsters from abroad, with the potential for re-sale value, or those available for reasonable fees and wages on the Continent.


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Robbie Rogers: Fans' attitudes stop gay players coming ou
t

"I'm sure there are a lot of players over the years who have played in England, or wherever, and are too frightened to come out."

When Robbie Keane spoke to the New York Times in May, the LA Galaxy captain went on to explain where he believed that fear came from: "Maybe the fans are a bit more brutal in England than they would be here."

His side had just signed former Leeds United winger and United States international Robbie Rogers, the first footballer with experience of playing professionally in England to come out since Justin Fashanu publicly revealed his sexuality in 1990.

Fashanu's announcement contributed to his personal and professional demise, such was the homophobia he encountered.

It was not a path Rogers, revealing his sexuality on his website 23 years later, wanted to go down.
Robbie Rogers profile

Born: California, USA. Age: 26
Made three appearances for USL Premier Development League side Orange County Blue Star in 2005
Signed a two-year professional contract with Dutch club Heerenveen but left in 2007 without appearing for the first team
Returned to the United States and joined MLS side Columbus Crew, where he played 106 games, scoring 13 goals between 2007 and 2011
Featured in all three of the United States' matches at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing
Made his senior debut for the US national team in a friendly against Sweden in 2009
Appeared five times in the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup, including a place in the starting line-up for the final, which USA lost 1-0 to Mexico
Rejected a contract offer from Columbus Crew in December 2011 and joined Championship side Leeds, making four first-team appearances
In August 2012 joined League One Stevenage on loan for five months, making nine appearances
Left Leeds United by mutual consent in January 2013
Announced retirement from professional football aged 25 in February 2013 after revealing his sexuality
Returned to football and signed for LA Galaxy in May 2013, making his debut in a 4-0 win over the Seattle Sounders

He promptly quit the game, saying remaining in football after publicly declaring your homosexuality was "impossible", before reversing his decision and joining Galaxy three months later.

Rogers, 26, admits he was not prepared to become a role model - he wanted to concentrate on football and not have to deal with the abuse he considered would be inevitable.

And it is that abuse that he, like Keane, who played for numerous big clubs in England and Scotland before moving to America, believes is preventing others from coming out.

"It's a little bit sad," Rogers told BBC Radio 5 live's Victoria Derbyshire. "Fans need to realise that what you're saying to players, especially when you are on that level…. you need to think it through before you start yelling at players."

But he does not believe the abuse stems from anti-gay sentiment: "For whatever reason, I don't think fans in England or fans in the UK are homophobic at all. They are just so passionate they will do anything to help their team get a little bit of an edge.

"The things they will say in a stadium does not reflect their character. But they take it just a little bit overboard sometimes. I learned that while I was in England."

Rogers left Leeds in January after he was released by mutual consent.

But he believes if he had spoken out about his homosexuality during his time at Elland Road, the club's fans would have accepted him.

"At the time I thought it wasn't possible," he said. "But looking back now I think the fans would have been so supportive of me.

"Leeds fans are crazy, passionate people but I think they would have supported me.

"They would have seen what I went through, and the struggles, and taken me under their wing.

"In the changing room, maybe it would have been awkward in the first few days with guys not knowing what to say. But I think they would have been supportive and loving.

"I think that goes for the whole club. I had a great time at Leeds. I don't think it would have been that big a problem."

Rogers, who has won 18 international caps for the United States, remains one of only two current professional footballers in the world to have come out. Swede Anton Hysen, the son of former Liverpool defender Glenn, is the other.

Yet despite his initial fears about returning to football, Rogers says the decision was the right one for him - and the game.

"I was afraid just to go back to training. I was worried how I would be treated in the changing room and in stadiums," he said.

"I had a lot of fear, but I missed football. I realised that I had an opportunity to play a sport I loved but also to really help people.
Play media

Members of Nottingham Ball Bois said they would welcome a gay role model but the correct environment for coming out needed to be created

"But people at Galaxy were amazing. The first day it was a little awkward with people walking on egg shells.

"After the first few days I would say it was totally fine. I was treated the same as everyone else. Travelling with the team has been great and I've yet to hear anything homophobic.

"But even if I do, I'm at a place in my life where I would feel more bad for them. I just don't care.

"It's about the exposure, about being in locker rooms, in stadiums, and people realising it's not a big deal and they are just footballers.

"I am the first gay footballer that's been out with LA Galaxy and for me to be doing the daily things like going to the training ground and travelling, that's where education comes and people realise it's not a big deal."

Earlier this year, Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson backed calls for professional football clubs to do more to combat homophobia.

And Rogers, who made nine appearances for Stevenage while on loan from Leeds last season, says that first step of having an openly gay player in the Premier League would help tackle homophobia in football.

"That needs to happen in England. Guys need to just come out and continue to play. That's the only way forward to change," he said.

"I think it's about gay players coming out. I'm not asking anyone to or pressuring anyone to, but I think it's going to take gay footballers to come out to help.

"I have no idea when someone will do that. I hope soon."



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MICHAEL LAUDRUP admits Swansea will not be ready for their Europa League debut on August 1.

They begin in the third qualifying round and boss Laudrup said: “We will not be 100 per cent. Hopefully it will still be enough to get us through.”

NAPOLI have made a dramatic bid to snatch Julio Cesar on loan from QPR.

The Brazilian keeper, 33, was a target for Arsenal and Villarreal.

But new Napoli boss Rafa Benitez is in pole position to bring him back to Italy where he enjoyed success at Inter Milan.

SHAHID KHAN vows to renovate Craven Cottage. Fulham’s ground has a capacity of 25,700 and new owner Khan is looking to add another 5,000 seats.

Khan added: “These would be with hospitality so would be higher-revenue seats.”

GARY HOOPER has told Celtic that he wants to join Norwich.

The Canaries, who had a £7.1million bid rejected in January, are now only willing to pay £4m as the striker is in the final year of his contract.

QPR have offered Celtic £5m but Hooper, 25, wants to join a Premier League club to boost his hopes of an England call-up.

VICTOR WANYAMA would like to return to Celtic one day.

The Southampton new-boy, 22, said: “Hopefully I’ll go back.”

FORMER Spurs and Blackburn ace Tim Sherwood, 44, is set to succeed axed boss Kevin MacDonald at Swindon.

GARRY MONK has handed the Swansea armband to centre-back Ashley Williams.

Monk, 34, stays on as club captain — but Williams will take over on match days.

is he a relation of harry

LEICESTER CITY boss Nigel Pearson plans to swoop for £1.4million Celtic defender Kelvin Wilson this week.

Wilson, 27, has only 12 months left on his contract.

BRIGHTON head coach Oscar Garcia has signed full-back Adam Chicksen, 21, who was a free agent after rejecting a new contract with MK Dons.

BOLTON hope to complete the signing of £1million striker Jermaine Beckford from Leicester today after he finally agreed a settlement over a loyalty bonus at the Foxes.

DERBY want kid Mason Bennett to gain experience on loan.

Striker Bennett, 17 today, is the youngest man to play and score for the Rams.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST will battle it out with Wigan to sign Utrecht striker Jacob Mulenga in a £1million deal.

The Zambian, 29, hit 14 goals in the Dutch league last term.

BILLY DAVIES is keen on signing Olympiakos winger Djamel Abdoun.

The Forest chief is hoping to seal a £1million deal for the Algerian international, 27.

RICHARD DUNNE is a target for QPR boss Harold Redwanker.

The ex-Manchester City centre-back, 33, is a free agent after leaving Aston Villa at the end of the season.



sorry no bbc gossip the site has not been updated yet


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Re: monday's news 15th july includes west ham

Post by Algarve Hammer »

Cheers CH, thanks again mate. :thup:
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Algarve Hammer wrote:Cheers CH, thanks again mate. :thup:

no problem mate you are welcome
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Re: monday's news 15th july includes west ham

Post by the oldham stripper »

morning magoo :lol:
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Post by cockney hammer »

the oldham stripper wrote:morning magoo :lol:

lol mrs ch finds that funny


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Re: monday's news 15th july includes west ham

Post by cockney hammer »

off to work everyone have a good day
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Thanks CH. :thup:
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Cheers CH.
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Post by Los Martillos »

Cheers CH

:crest:
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Cheers CH :thup:
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Cheers CH :thup: great babe today mate
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Cheers CH :thup:
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Post by kitthehammer »

Am i missing something with morrison? I haven't seen anything yet that shows him as anything outstanding in fact out of the two i'd say whitehead looked the more impressive player of the two v boreham wood. As for allardyce, i always thought he'd be the best manager around that we could have brought in and i've been 100% behind him from day one. Just as we have found that the hoofball tactics are a media myth, so too is the academy and the west ham way. He's given us some steel, some unity and at times we play much better football than we have for at least 5 years. And there's certainly no problem with him as a personality. Maybe its time we were more grateful for what we've got because i cant see any other better manager around who would be willing to join us.
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Re: monday's news 15th july includes west ham

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Cheers CH :crest:
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Post by Chicken Run Supreme »

Cheers CH, as always

Would love to see Morrison step up to the plate this season, save us a few quid for starters.
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Post by ageing hammer »

kitthehammer wrote:Am i missing something with morrison?
Great Post

Thanks CH :thup:
Last edited by Up the Junction on Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Large quote removed.
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Post by Coops »

Cheers CH.
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Post by SiamHammer »

Well said kitthehammer
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Re: monday's news 15th july includes west ham

Post by cockney hammer »

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is determined to test Liverpool's resolve over Luis Suarez with an improved £35m bid for the 26-year-old striker.

the Guardian



Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, 29, is an £8m target for French side Paris St-Germain.

Daily Mirror

Arsenal look set to miss out on Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Julio Cesar, 33, who is closing in on a season-long loan move to Napoli.

Metro

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew will meet with director of football Joe Kinnear on Monday and is seeking the green light to press ahead with a £5m bid for Aston Villa's 29-year-old striker Darren Bent.

the Telegraph

Tottenham are monitoring Real Betis winger Alvaro Vadillo, 18, as they hope to seal the signing of Twente winger Nacer Chadli, 23.

Times (subscription required)

Manchester United have renewed their interest in signing Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 26, having lost the battle to sign Barcelona's 22-year-old midfielder Thiago Alacantara.

the Independent

Manchester City are closing in on Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo, 27, and Fiorentina front man Stevan Jovetic, 23, in deals totalling more than £40m.

Sun

Manchester United may consider selling Wayne Rooney next summer after informing the Manchester United striker, 27, that his future will not be addressed for another 12 months.

the Times

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway is ready to make his first move to end Peter Odemwingie's West Bromwich Albion spell.
the Daily Telegraph

Tottenham are set to make an opening bid for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke, 22, this week.

Daily Mirror

Liverpool are ready to approach Bayern Munich to discuss a deal for winger Xherdan Shaqiri, 21.

Metro
GLOBAL GOSSIP (BBC Monitoring)

Barcelona have agreed to sell midfielder Thiago Alcantara, 22, to Bayern Munich for around £21.6m.

Marca (Spanish)

Brazilian defender Thiago Silva, 28, will not leave Paris St-Germain, according to his agent, despite reported interest from Barcelona.

Le Parisien (French)



Ryan Giggs, 39, says he must be crazy to be relishing his role at Old Trafford as much now as when he first stepped into the Manchester United side 23 years ago.
Metro

Fulham's new owner Shahid Khan has assured fans he will not make the same mistakes as west London rivals QPR.
Daily Mail

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, 33, is on the brink of signing a new deal that will see him finish his career at Anfield.
Story: Sun

Manchester United manager David Moyes has told striker Wayne Rooney, 27, he is considered vital only if "we had an injury to Robin Guardian

Arsenal have missed out on efforts to sign Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier, 22, after he signed a new deal with the French club.
Daily Express

Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha, 20, has ruled out returning to Crystal Palace on loan next season after getting his first taste of life at Old Trafford.

Metro


Former Argentina international Ariel Ortega played the final match of his career at the weekend but it was his 12-year-old son Tomas who stole the headlines after making his dad cry.

Metro
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Re: monday's news 15th july includes west ham

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Arsène Wenger, left, and Ivan Gazidis, looking like they know something we don't


Ivan Gazidis's office. Ivan is inside booking a flight to Dubai using his Emirates staff discount card. There is a knock at the door:

Ivan: "Come in"

Arsène: "Errr... hello Ivan"

Ivan: "Ah, Arsène, thanks for popping 'round. Please, take a seat"

(Arsène sits down)

Ivan: "Enjoying the sun?"

Arsène: "So, so"

Ivan: "Indeed. Anyway ... I have some bad news. Real Madrid called on Saturday night and it's a no-go on Higuaín sadly. They ain't selling"

Arsène: "Oh dear"

Ivan: "Oh dear indeed"

(The two men start laughing)

Ivan: "Phew hey! Imagine us paying that much for a player. I mean, the wages alone"

Arsène: "It would have been crazy Ivan. With that much money I can buy 23 French teenagers and a couple of African ones too"

Ivan: "More Arsène, more. I've been told about a dozen nine-year-olds from Mozambique who are absolutely terrific and would cost no more than a few pennies each"

(Arsène pulls his wallet out of his pocket and flicks through the contents): "Hmmm … yes I can afford that"

Ivan: "WE can afford that Arsène, WE"

(Arsène smiles): "Yes Ivan, WE"

Ivan: "Anyway, we've dodged a bullet there, but the fans are still grumbling. They want a big signing … or at least for us to try and make a big signing"

(Arsène sighs)

Ivan: "I know how you feel about this Arsène but you have to understand it from their point of view. I mean … it's been eight years since Arsenal won a -"

Arsène: "We qualify for the Champions League every season Ivan!"

Ivan: "I know Arsène, I know. And the board are very grateful. But we have to listen to the fans. Or at least pretend to listen to them"

Arsène: "Yes, yes"

Ivan: "Don't panic - I have a plan. I'm going to call Liverpool up again and tell them we want to improve our bid for Luis Suárez"

Arsène: "Ivan, no. I've told you already, I don't want that madman anywhere near here. He'll try and eat the players"

Ivan: "Relax Arsène, I know what I'm doing. I'm going to increase our bid to £35m – there's no way Liverpool will accept that. But the fans will be happy because they'll think we're serious about spending lots of money, signing big players, and meanwhile we can concentrate on the kids. You know, the ones from Mozambique I was telling you about."

Arsène: "OK Ivan, if you think that will work, let's do it. But we mustn't go up to £40m. We cannot risk Liverpool saying yes"

Ivan: "Don't worry Arsène, we won't. £35m and then we stop"

Arsène: "OK"

Ivan: "Excellent. Don't mean to be rude Arsène, but I'm kind of in the middle of something here"

Arsène: "Oh, sorry. I'll go"

Ivan: "Great. Shut the door on the way out will you"

(Arsène stands up and leaves the room)

FIN

Paris Saint-Germain have expressed an interest in signing Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, while across London, Tottenham are believed to want 18-year-old Real Betis winger Alvaro Vadillo.

Staying in the capital and Crystal Palace are close to signing Spain Under-20 captain José Campana for £1.7m and are keen on bringing Peter Odemwingie in from the cold at West Bromwich Albion
. West Ham, meanwhile, have told Internazionale that they are interested in their 25-year-old Serbian midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic. Also, Queens Park Rangers are close to signing former Aston Villa defender Richard Dunne.

Speaking of Villa, Darren Bent could soon be on his way to Newcastle, with the north-east club expected to offer £6m for the striker this week. Former Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper, meanwhile, is on the verge of joining Hull.

And finally, Arsenal are this week expected to increase their offer for Luis Suárez to £35m.

.
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