Source: Telegraph
Gianfranco Zola set to miss out on West Ham duo
Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, was hoping to sell central defender James Collins to Stoke for £5 million, and use the proceeds to finance to signing of highly-rated Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh, for around £7m.
But it is understood Collins’s wage demands has halted the move to the Britannia Stadium, leaving Stoke manager Tony Pulis once again frsutrated in the transfer market.
Pulis may turn his attentions to Middlesbrough’s Robert Huth, though he remains hopeful that he can still persuade the Welshman to move to Stoke.
Chamakh, meanwhile, is expected to remain at Bordeaux. The striker had hoped for a move to Arsenal, but Arsene Wenger was reluctant to meet the Ligue 1 club’s demands.
A report in L’Equipe this morning suggests Chamakh will make his announcement to stay at Bordeaux next Monday. However, the French newspaper does suggest that if West Ham bid eight million euros for the Moroccan striker, Zola could still be successul.
Chamakh is quoted in L’Equipe as saying: "My departure is more and more unlikely. I am pessimistic and have moved on to other things. The door is closed and I will announce on Monday that I will stay.
"Today I feel more liberated. I said I wanted to leave after one title, now I will leave after two"
