Source: Team_Talk
Remy still on Hammers' radar
West Ham may have missed out on both Graham Dorrans and Joe Cole but they remain in the hunt for Nice striker Loic Remy.[LNB] The east London club are also close to finalising a deal with Israeli defender Tal Ben-Haim.[LNB]Avram Grant's squad are currently in Germany for a training camp, which saw them beat Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 in Ruhpolding on Saturday.[LNB]The new Hammers boss has been quick to strengthen a group which only narrowly escaped relegation last season, bringing in Frederic Piquionne, who he had worked with at former club Portsmouth, and Mexico winger Pablo Barrera as well as ex-Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger.[LNB]However, long-term target Dorrans will remain at West Brom after the Scotland midfielder agreed a new four-year deal, while Cole, who came through the youth ranks at Upton Park, has moved on a Bosman free transfer to Liverpool, despite the Hammers having offered lucrative terms to their former trainee.[LNB]Nevertheless, Grant should still land at least one more player before the new Premier League campaign begins at Villa Park in just over three weeks' time.[LNB]Ben-Haim looks set to be reunited with Grant, his manager at both Chelsea and Fratton Park, with a compromise over salary reported to now have been reached.[LNB]A deal for Remy, however, may prove more testing to conclude.[LNB]Liverpool remain very much in contention as Nice hold out for a substantial cash offer with the Hammers looking to pay off the £12million transfer fee in instalments.[LNB]"For the moment it's the same status quo, but if Liverpool make an offer things will be done swiftly," Nice president Gilbert Stellardo told L'Equipe.[LNB]"The amount (offered by West Ham) suits me, but not the payment method.[LNB]"West Ham want to buy Loic because they think he could rapidly be worth 10million euros more if he plays in England.[LNB]"They don't want us to pay the full sum all at once."[LNB]The Hammers squad - which now also includes those who were away at the World Cup, such as England duo Robert Green and Matthew Upson - will play Greek side Panathinaikos before they return to England and head to MK Dons on July 28.[LNB]A trip to npower Championship side Ipswich and the visit of Spanish outfit Deportivo la Coruna completes the pre-season schedule.[LNB]Radoslav Kovac has been linked with a move to Olympiacos, but for now, the Czech midfielder is fully focused on getting off to a flying start with the Hammers.[LNB]"The new manager has been good with us and we all want to do our best for the club," he said on www.whufc.com.[LNB]"We have some new players like Thomas [Hitzlsperger] and we will see where we are with the Premier League. It is important to start well.[LNB]"I am happy to be back with everyone again. It was very good to have the time off, we needed it after a tough season but I want to get going again."[LNB]
