West Ham United are still hoping to tie up one or two transfers ahead of the start of 2009/10 Premier League campaign - despite kick-off being just 11 days away.
The Hammers have been left frustrated by their failure to land some of Gianfranco Zola's main targets, meaning that the Italian boss could go into the new season with just one new addition to his first team - Inter's on-loan midfielder Luis Jimenez.CEO Scott Duxbury revealed earlier in the summer that he had been hoping to secure three new additions to boost Zola's first team options as early as possible - yet bar last month's arrival of Jimenez, those are yet to materialise.
One of those initial targets - Jimenez's former team mate Mancini - remains on the radar, however the player is understood to be considering his options still having been told recently that he is not part of Jose Mourinho's future plans.
Whilst Gianfranco Zola recently expressed an interest in signing Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen rumours linking the Hammers with a fresh move for teenage striker Mario Balotelli are thought to be wide of the mark.
The search for a striker has become more urgent with Dean Ashton's failure to appear in a single pre-season fixture, leaving Carlton Cole as the squad's only fit, experienced striker.
Meanwhile talks with last season's club captain Lucas Neill over an extended one-year contract continue; the Australian full-back, currently a free agent is unhappy with the deal being offered by West Ham but hopes to thrash out an agreement in time to see him start the new campaign at Wolves next weekend.
Should the 31-year-old right-back reject United's offer, Julien Faubert - who spend the latter part of last season on the bench at Real Madrid - is expected to get the nod over Jonathan Spector for the vacant right-back spot.
Matthew Upson - who led the team out against Tottenham in China last week - is favourite to be named as Neill's potential successor as club captain.
Ins and outs - our summer business so far
IN: Herita Ilunga (Toulouse, £2.4m); Luis Jimenez (Inter, season-long loan with option to buy); Fabio Daprela (Grasshoppers, nominal undisclosed fee); Frank Nouble (Chelsea, undisclosed fee); Jack Lampe (Harlow Town, undisclosed fee); Eoin Wearen (undisclosed fee).
OUT: Freddie Sears (Crystal Palace, season-long loan); Lee Bowyer (released, end of contract); Jan Lastuvka (Shaktar, end of loan); Radoslav Kovac (Spartak, end of loan); Diego Tristan (released, end of contract); David Di Michele (Torino, end of loan); Walter Lopez (released, end of contract); Kyel Reid (released, end of contract); Tony Stokes (released, end of contract); Jimmy Walker (released, end of contract).
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