Allardyce: Carroll was a key

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce hopes there is more to come from Andy Carroll after the striker's man of the match performance against Swansea City.



The on-loan Liverpool forward started his first game since November after injury and scored the winner to earn his temporary club just a third Premier League win in two months.

And Allardyce thought Carroll, who could join West Ham on a permanent basis in the summer, was the best player against Swansea despite not being fully fit.

"I think Andy has made the difference today, no disrespect to [Marouane] Chamakh and Carlton Cole," Allardyce told Sky Sports.

"He is a big strong lad with a lot of ability. As we saw today, it was not just about his heading ability, even though that was the winning goal.

"It was about his hold-up play, his movement and the trouble he caused Swansea. I think everybody else could build off Andy and we created numerous chances."

West Ham were denied by excellent Swansea goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel on several occasions but Allardyce was at least pleased to see his struggling team making opportunities.



"It has been a great day from that point of view and, as long as we keep creating the chances - particularly at home, we will sooner or later start putting more in the back of the net," he said.

Chamakh heads to West Ham on loan

West Ham have signed Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh on loan for the rest of the season.



With Andy Carroll currently sidelined through injury and Modibo Maiga set to depart for the African Nations Cup, Sam Allardyce was keen to bring in cover and approached Arsenal over the possibility of signing Chamakh.



The Moroccan striker has only managed to score eight goals in 40 league appearances for Arsenal but he will have the opportunity to rediscover his form at Upton Park.

West Ham confirm Cole return

Joe Cole's return to boyhood club West Ham on a free transfer from Liverpool has been confirmed.



The 31-year-old has signed an 18-month contract at Upton Park to end a miserable spell at Anfield.



Cole told his new club's official website: "It is a great move for me. This is where I learnt my trade and I'm happy to have another chance to be here. I've always loved West Ham and I hope I can give the club a few memorable seasons."



Cole emerged from the club's academy to sign professional terms in 1998 and helped them win the FA Youth Cup the following year, becoming a firm fans' favourite before leaving for Chelsea in 2003, when he became one of their first signings following Roman Abramovich's takeover of the club.



There, he won eight major trophies including three Premier League titles, was named in the Professional Footballers Association team of the year in 2006 and has won 56 full England caps.



But after joining Liverpool as a free agent, he was sent off on his Premier League debut and missed a penalty in his next appearance, a Europa League qualifying match against Trabzonspor. The poor start set the tone for a Reds career hampered by form and fitness problems and he was allowed to spend last season on loan at Lille.



He scored nine goals in 42 appearances for the French club and will have the opportunity to further rebuild his career at the club where he first made his name.



Cole said: "The timing was right for me to come back and I'm happy. I'm back in London and I'm delighted to be here. I want to be here and I want to make an impact.



"Sam (Allardyce, manager) didn't have to sell me the club for me to come back. I have had 18 months at Liverpool where I haven't played much football and Sam wants to play me.



"I'm going to need games to get back to my best, but I want to play football and come here and help the team to make an impact.



"I could see from the outside what a great bunch of lads we have here and there is a great spirit. I'm excited."



The warm reception he received from the Upton Park crowd when he returned with Liverpool last month, which he reciprocated by not celebrating his goal in the Reds' 3-2 win, was also a factor in his return.



"It was a big thing in me coming back, the fact that everybody here wants me to do well," Cole added. "The fans have always been great for me, whenever I have been back and also when I've been in the area visiting family.



"I feel like I owe the club a little bit as well because if it wasn't for West Ham I wouldn't be a footballer. This club's great youth-team coaches taught me the trade."



The Hammers lie 11th in the Premier League table after 20 games and Cole is optimistic about their prospects for the remainder of the campaign.



"The first season in the Premier League is always the toughest one and the boys have done brilliant to get 26 points on the board," he said. "We would like to match that in the second half of the season and crack on from there.



"We have got a lot of England internationals and a good strong squad here, so our home form is going to be vital."

West Ham sign Irish teenager

West Ham have signed Republic of Ireland Under-19 striker Sean Maguire from Waterford United on a two-and-a-half-year contract.



The 18-year-old finished joint top scorer in the League of Ireland First Division in 2012, helping Waterford to gain promotion as runners-up.



Maguire, who scored 13 goals in 24 appearances, told West Ham TV: "In summer 2011 the Waterford manager brought me in for a couple of training sessions and gave me a chance in the first team and I took it. Here I am now at West Ham and it's a dream come true really."



He added: "People tend to say my best trait is my movement so hopefully I can show that here. I haven't been told yet which squad I will be in but I presume I'll be going into the reserves so I'll try to work my way up like I did at Waterford."

Joe Cole set for comeback

West Ham are set to make their first signing of the transfer window by bringing Joe Cole back to the club on a free transfer.



Liverpool are prepared to cancel Cole's current agreement at Anfield to ensure he gets a move away from the Reds this month and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is set to land the player, although there is still interest from Harry Redknapp at QPR.



Cole came through the youth ranks at Upton Park before moving to Chelsea for £6.6m in 2003 prior to moving to Liverpool at the end of his contract in 2010.



His time with the Reds has been less than successful though, and he spent last season away on loan at Lille.



Liverpool are now prepared to let him move on for free and he seems set for a West Ham return.

Olympic Stadium D-Day

West Ham are favourites to be named the preferred tenants of the Olympic Stadium this morning.

 The future of the Olympic Stadium should become clearer today with the announcement of the preferred bidder.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is expected to award a lease to the Hammers, subject to conditions which are likely to include the installation of retractable seats over the running track.

West Ham were told they could not buy the stadium last year - the new occupants will be tenants.

One of the conditions of becoming tenants was keeping the athletics track, which ruled Tottenham out of the running as the North London club wanted to rip it up.

One sticking point at a meeting of the London Legacy Development Corporation this morning will be who funds an estimated £20m shortfall in the budget to convert the stadium to use for football.

If West Ham are granted the lease there could yet be legal issues, with Leyton Orient - who want to share the stadium - possibly mounting a challenge.

West Ham may also be required to hand over a share of profits to the public purse, because of the huge amount of taxpayers' money used to build the stadium.

There is unlikely to be any football at the stadium until 2015 at the earliest - and possibly not until the 2016-17 season.

A football business consortium and a consortium hoping to stage Formula One races there are also in the running.

But West Ham are favourites to win the bid because they are likely to have the least impact on the public purse in the years ahead.

Carroll targets more West Ham goals

Andy Carroll hopes he can follow up his long awaited first West Ham goal by finding the net against Manchester United and Chelsea.



Carroll headed home Joey O'Brien's cross in Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Tottenham to end his 1,062-minute Barclays Premier League goal drought.



The £35million man had been brought in on loan to provide the firepower for the Hammers, but manager Sam Allardyce has instead had to rely on Kevin Nolan for his goals this season.



Carroll was relieved to finally get off the mark for his new club and now hopes he can repeat the feat against top-flight heavyweights Manchester United and Chelsea on Wednesday and Saturday respectively.



"It was about time (I scored), to be honest," Carroll said. "I'm just grateful to have got off the mark and hopefully there will be more to come this week.



"I think I've put myself about and been involved in our goals in previous matches. "I think I've been doing well so it was about time one went in.



"It was a great ball in by Joey O'Brien and I just had to get up and head it across the keeper. That's what I did and thankfully it went in."



Despite Carroll's failure to find the net, West Ham have exceeded all expectations so far this season and currently sit eighth in the table.



But they were easily outclassed by a rampant Spurs side, who coasted to victory thanks to a Gareth Bale strike and a brace from former Hammer Jermain Defoe.



Defoe was allowed to open the scoring in a marvellous solo effort that saw him go unchallenged from near the half-way line. West Ham's defence then backed off Clint Dempsey, which allowed him to tee up Bale for Spurs' second.



Defoe wrapped up the win by tapping home into an empty net following a swift counter-attack that started after West Ham were dispossessed on the halfway line.



Carroll was unhappy with how his team wilted but insisted they should not dwell too much on the defeat.



"It was disappointing as we made mistakes for all three of their goals, really," Carroll told the club's website. "We should have done better, but they have taken their chances and obviously beat us.



"We have got a tough week with Manchester United and then Chelsea and Liverpool coming up. It'll be tough so we just have to put this behind us now and focus on Wednesday.



"This game is all gone now so we're going to have to concentrate 100% on Wednesday, which is going to be another tough game."



Defender James Tomkins echoed Carroll's sentiments, adding: "We didn't play at our best but we need to put it behind us quite quickly because we have another big game at Manchester United in a couple of days' time and the games are coming thick and fast.



"We don't need to dwell on the result because we have the points on the board and it's vital we go to Old Trafford with our confidence intact.



"We have to make sure we go to Manchester United 100% mentally."

Rio offered West Ham return

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has offered Rio Ferdinand a route back to Upton Park.



The 33-year-old defender is in the last year of his current deal at Manchester United, although Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed he would like him to stay at Old Trafford.

However, Allardyce has now confirmed that the door is open for Ferdinand to return to the club where he began his career and played over 150 games before leaving for Leeds United in 2000.

"If it's at the end of the season and he hasn't got a new contract and he is released by Manchester United, then we would be interested," said Allardyce.

"If he wants to live back in London eventually, which is where he comes from, which you know quite a few players want to do when they come to the end of their careers, that is an advantage for us.



"It depends entirely on Rio or which other clubs might be interested in him."

Benayoun bides his time at West Ham

West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun has vowed to impress at Upton Park despite limited first-team opportunities early in the season.



His lack of Premier League game time so far this season has seen him dropped from the Israel national team despite his status as his country's captain.



But Benayoun is hopeful that he will have a successful season at east London while he is on loan at the club from Chelsea.



"There is an option to extend my loan," he told reporters.



"My ambition is to be here for a full season and to make it a good one. It's great to be here but there's strength in depth."



Benayoun arrived in England at West Ham and was impressive enough to earn a move to Liverpool in 2007.



Last season, he spent a campaign on loan at Arsenal from Chelsea, who he joined in 2010. The 32-year-old has made only eight league appearances for the Blues.

Reo-Coker joins Ipswich

Former Aston Villa and West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Coker has signed for npower Championship strugglers Ipswich.



The 28-year-old midfielder, a free agent after leaving Bolton in the summer, has agreed a short-term contract until January.



"Ipswich is a sleeping giant in the Championship," Reo-Coker told the club's official website.



"It's a massive club with a great history and tradition. The facilities are first class and there is a terrific fan base. It's the right club at the right time for me and everything has just fallen into place.



"I had a good conversation with the manager (Paul Jewell). He's highly respected in the game for what he has achieved and I know what he's trying to do at the club.



"Ipswich may be at the wrong end of the table at the moment but it's still early in the season and I'm sure with the manager and players the club have, it's only a matter of time before things turn around."



Ipswich are currently second from bottom in the Championship with seven points from 10 games. Reo-Coker could make his debut at Hull next Saturday.

West Ham deny Carroll deal

West Ham have denied a deal has been done to sign Liverpool striker Andy Carroll on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent transfer.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is believed to be keen to add the England target-man to his squad for the club's Premier League and was reported to have offered £2million to take the player on loan.



That deal was also thought to include a £17m fee to make the switch permanent next summer as the Reds are reluctant to allow the man they paid £35m for last year to leave in a loan-only deal.



But with Brendan Rodgers having offered Carroll hope of a future at Anfield, West Ham have moved to distance themselves from claims that a deal is in place.



The 23-year-old striker has scored six goals in 42 Premier League games for Liverpool since joining from Newcastle in January 2011.

Hammers offer £17m for Carroll

West Ham United have made a £17million bid to sign Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.



The Premier League new-boys have ambitiously offered to pay an initial £2m loan fee before making a permanent deal next summer.



Liverpool are thought to be willing to listen to offers for the permanent sale of Carroll, who they signed from Newcastle in a record £35m deal under Kenny Dalglish in January 2011.



Brendan Rodgers has succeeded Dalglish this summer and is ready to sell in order to raise money for new signings, including his £15m-rated former Swansea colleague Joe Allen.



Carroll has endured a difficult time at Anfield since becoming the most expensive British footballer in history and he now appears to be surplus to requirements.



Sam Allardyce's West Ham failed in an original approach to sign the England international solely on loan earlier this summer but have returned with a permanent option.



Liverpool want closer to £20m as they aim to recoup as much as possible on Carroll and his wages, which are reportedly close to £80,000-a-week, but the fee would represent a record deal for West Ham.



The most the Upton Park club, who won last season's Championship play-offs, have paid for a player in the past has been £9m for Savio Nsereko in January 2009.



And West Ham co-owner David Sullivan's son, Jack Sullivan, has added to the rumours by saying onTwitter: "Dad is working on the biggest signing in the history of the club - twice as big as anything the club have done before!"



West Ham are also reportedly hoping the friendship between former Newcastle team-mates Kevin Nolan, now West Ham captain, and Carroll can help influence any potential move.

West Ham complete capture of Modibo Maiga

West Ham United have made their fifth signing of the summer after confirming the completion of a deal to bring striker Modibo Maiga to Upton Park.



Maiga, a Mali international, has joined Sam Allardyce's side for an undisclosed fee after putting pen to paper on a four-year deal with the option for a further two years.



"I am really happy and excited about joining West Ham United," Maiga told the Hammers' website after the formalities of his move from French side Sochaux were completed.



"I know West Ham are a big club in England and I'm really looking forward to representing them. They have huge tradition and it is like joining part of a family and that is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here.



"I know some of the big names that have played for the club in the past and I am proud to be part of a new team back in the Premier League."



Maiga joins Mohamed Diame, George McCartney, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Stephen Henderson as Allardyce's summer preparations continue to take shape, ahead of the club's return to the top flight.

Hammers close on Maiga

Sam Allardyce has confirmed that West Ham are hoping to complete the signing of Mali striker Modibo Maiga from Sochaux.



Sky Sports understands that the 25-year-old is undergoing a medical with the East London club ahead of a proposed £4.5million move from Ligue 1.



Maiga was linked with a move to Newcastle last summer and a proposed move to St James' Park in the January transfer window fell through.



The Mali international joined Sochaux from Le Mans in July 2010 and has since scored 24 goals in 52 games for the French side.



Allardyce admitted that a deal to bring in Maiga was in the pipeline but insisted there were still some details to be finalised before he puts pen to paper.



The Hammers boss told Sky Sports News HD: "At the moment that is progressing. That is going forward as we speak but is a little way off being clinched."

Zola appointed as Watford boss

Former West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola has been confirmed as the new manager of Watford.



Zola has signed a two-year deal at the Championship club after the Hornets' new owners, the Italian Pozzo family, confirmed the sacking of Sean Dyche on Friday.



"Everyone knows how Gianfranco Zola likes football to be played," Watford technical director Gianluca Nani said.



"I think Watford's fans can expect an exciting and attacking style from his team. Gianfranco represents this project perfectly."



The appointment of Zola had been expected since the Pozzo family, who completed their takeover of the club from Laurence Bassini last week, revealed the 46-year-old Italian was their preferred candidate.



The Pozzo family also own Serie A side Udinese and La Liga outfit Granada.



Former Chelsea player Zola, who spent seven years at Stamford Bridge, had two seasons in charge of West Ham, impressing in the first as he led the club to ninth place in the Premier League in the 2008/09 season.



He struggled badly the following campaign, though, as his side finished just one place above the bottom three and he left his post two days after the end of the season.

Hammers keen on Stankovic, Lukaku

West Ham have made tentative enquiries about Inter Milan veteran Dejan Stankovic and Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, according to ESPN sources.



Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is looking to sign an experienced leader for his newly promoted team and considered a move for Clarence Seedorf before being deterred by the Dutchman's £70,000-a-week wage demands.



Allardyce has now turned his attention to 33-year-old Stankovic, who is being tipped to leave the San Siro after eight years as Inter Milan boss Andrea Stramaccioni is looking to usher some of the club's youngsters into the first-team.



The former Serbia international, who played 102 games for his country before retiring in 2011, would add some much-needed maturity to West Ham in their first season back in the Premier League - though, like Seedorf, his wage demands could prove prohibitive.



The Hammers have also been linked to young Inter forward Luc Castaignos, who is leaving the club this summer, and Allardyce has a long list of potential transfer targets for the striker's role, including a potential loan move of Lukaku at Chelsea.



West Ham have told ESPN that they are testing the water with a multitude of potential transfer targets to discover which are the most realistic in terms of fees, salaries and availability.

Hammers agree Diame deal

West Ham United have confirmed they have agreed a deal to sign Senegal international Mohamed Diame.



The Hammers, who will kick off their return to the Premier League with an opening day fixture against Aston Villa on August 18, have agreed terms on a three-year deal with Diame which will come into effect from July 1 when his current contract with Wigan expires.



Diame will travel with his new club on their pre-season tour of Austria, which gets underway the day after he becomes a West Ham player.



The 25-year-old, who becomes the club's third summer signing after the captures of Jussi Jaaskelainen and Stephen Henderson, said: "I'm very happy and very excited to have joined the club and I'm looking forward to the start of the season.



"I know the fans here get behind the team all the time and I'm looking forward to showing everybody what I can do on the pitch."



West Ham manager Sam Allardyce added: "His potential is really good and he's ready to go and compete in the first team straight away as he's had three years in the Premier League already.



"He's 25 and can only get better and I hope he can go on to prove that to me and all of the West Ham United fans. He will be a very exciting addition to the squad."