Hammers axe falls on technical director Nani as Gold and Sullivan continue cuts

West Ham have announced technical director Gianluca Nani has parted company from the club by mutual consent.Hammer KO: Gianluca Nani has left West Ham UnitedThe decision follows new co-owners David Sullivan and David Goldpolicy to continue their cost-cutting exercise at Upton Park, with theItalian leaving his reported £300,000 per year role after just two years in eastLondon.Nani arrived from Brescia Calcio in 2008 and was at the centre of a storm surrounding former manager Alan Curbishley's departure.Curbishley quit bemoaning the loss of key players George McCartney and Anton Ferdinand being sold behind his back.Nani was central in all of West Ham's transfer dealings during his time at the Premier League club, responsible for club record £9million German teenage flop Savio and the arrivals of Diego Tristan and David Di Michele.The Italian also oversaw the deals to sign Herita Ilunga and Alessandro Diamanti who have been deemed as more successful buys.But with the club looking to slash their huge financial deficit, the new co-owners deemed Nani, who had 12 months left to run on his contract, was a luxury they no longer wished to afford particularly with Sullivan negotiating his own transfer dealings.West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan said: 'I would like to thankGianluca for his contribution to the club and we all wish him well. Flop: Savio, signed after Nani's recommendation, failed to sparkle at West Ham 'With the club heading in a new direction since David Gold and I tookcharge last month, it was felt the time was right for all parties tomove on in an amicable way.'  Nani, meanwhile, told the club's official website: 'I would like to take thisopportunity to thank everyone who worked alongside me in this wonderfuladventure - the staff, Gianfranco Zola and the players.'A special thank you also to the fans who have always supported usand whose warmth and dedication gave me a passion for this club whichwill forever remain with me. Finally, I wish the owners the bestpossible success in the future.'  THE LIST: Top 50 English players who should be on Fabio Capello's radarLEO'S LONDON: It's hard to show sympathy for sensitive WoodgateWEST HAM UNITED FC

Source: Daily_Mail