Source: SKY_Sports
Hammers rule out sales
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury insists the club are under no pressure to sell players.[LNB] The Hammers were dealt a financial blow towards the end of last season as the global credit crunch began to bite.[LNB]New owners were brought in to help steady the ship, with Icelandic investment bank Straumur taking the helm.[LNB]However, they have troubles of their own and reports have suggested that West Ham will need to offload some of their most saleable assets in order to balance the books.[LNB]Duxbury, though, insists that is not the case, claiming manager Gianfranco Zola is actually being encouraged to identify potential new recruits, not prepare for departures.[LNB]He told the club's official website: "The club's position today remains the same as it was last week or it was in January. There is no question of Straumur forcing us to sell anyone - in fact we are actively looking for new players.[LNB]"The papers are unsurprisingly full of speculation at this time of year but the situation is clear. The only way a player would be allowed to leave is if Gianfranco thinks it is in the best interests of the squad as a whole and it is right for the club. It is as simple as that."[LNB]Non-executive chairman Andrew Bernhardt added: "As I said earlier in the summer, the club is on a sound financial footing and Straumur creditor meetings have no bearing on the operations of West Ham United. This remains unchanged.[LNB]"We fully support Scott and Gianfranco and endorse their continued efforts in strengthening the squad as quickly as possible, with a new striker their top priority. We are looking forward to a great season."[LNB]
