By Hughie Southon

Gary Neville talking for England is expected but when it is clearly utter ignorance he’s spouting that’s quite another matter and you wonder how on earth he keep his job on Sky.

He showed his weird lack of knowledge about things on the pitch when commenting at half time of the Newcastle v Arsenal game that the Gooners were precisely where he thought they would want to be.

That was at 0-0 after being outplayed for 45 minutes before going on to be well beaten. Garbage!

Off pitch level he has now turned his attention to Declan whom he’s been talking out of West Ham for some but on this occasion declaring: “He may have to do another season at West Ham. So West Ham will lose the value obviously.” 

His dismissiveness of us is disgraceful and ignorance of the true situation mind blowing because there is no question of the Hammers losing any value at all with Dec on a contract plus option which could keep him here until 2025. More garbage.

Too much gob…too little knowledge Neville. Keep it shut if you can’t talk facts sonny Jim

Hull City will not sell Keane Lewis-Potter for anything less than £30m in the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

The Daily Telegraph claims that there are four Premier League clubs who are currently chasing a deal, including the Hammers.

Along with David Moyes’ side, there is also interest from Southampton, Brentford, and newly-promoted AFC Bournemouth.

Hull’s owner Acun Ilicali insists that he will not accept any bids under £30m because he wants Lewis-Potter to spearhead a promotion push next season.

He said: “Keane is like God’s gift to us. He has extreme potential. He is going to be one of the biggest stars of the future.

“Of course, we have big offers for him. If I had any interest in making any money, there cannot be a better deal than that. You buy a football club and you sell the left winger and you make enough money to make all the transfers.

“But I reject all of these. Even if they offer £30 million to me, I will not sell him because I think his presence is much more important than anything for this club at the moment. He will be so useful for our team and our fans that I will not lose him.”

Lewis-Potter’s contract has one season left to run so he may well be available either in January or next season.

The England U21 international made 46 appearances in the Championship this season, scoring 12 goals and laying on four assists.

Hull ultimately finished the season in 19th place, so they will need some serious improvement if they are to be pushing for promotion to the Premier League next season.

Ledley King has told his cousin, Ben Johnson, that he has a West Ham future at centre-back.

The Spurs legend played at centre-back for the majority of his career, having previously bounced between positions.

Johnson has played at centre-back three times for the Irons this season, filling in regularly at both right-back and left-back.

King, though, believes he is best off as a centre-back, as he has the quality and the composure to thrive in the role.

Quoted by The Sun, King, who lifted Spurs’ last trophy, the League Cup, in 2008, said: “What I do like about Ben is that he is a footballer, first and foremost, which means he is able to play in different positions.

“And in a way I started off a little bit like that.

“In my first game I got brought on at left-back and then [Glenn Hoddle] started playing me in midfield – but I always knew I was a defender.

“Ben’s versatile, good with both feet, has good balance and he’s a good size.

“In the modern game, especially in a back three, he could be one of the centre-backs.

“There’s probably fewer aerial duels now than there was 15-20 years ago, you don’t have to be quite as big and physical so he can definitely do that.

“He’s improving each season. West Ham again have had a good season.

“They’ve done well at combining the league and Europa League this season, which isn’t easy.

“Ben is establishing himself in the first-team which is good to see.”

Johnson has actually played 57 times for West Ham throughout his career, but the appearances at centre-back this season have been his only outings in the centre of defence.

Moyes is keen to bring in new blood in central defence during the summer transfer window but Johnson is likely to get a real chance to prove his worth next season.

By Hughie Southon

West Ham’s share of positional money from Sky TV this season will be around £3 million less than last even if they finish in the same place as in to 20/21 season campaign

Covid and the loss of Chinese broadcasting coverage has seen the place money fall from £2.2 million last season to £1.9 million this which could create a difference in our income from TV from just over £30 million to around £27 million.

We are of course currently sitting in seventh place but with results going our way this weekend we could finish sixth  which would see us back in the Europa Cup boost out European earnings from those available to clubs competing in the Conference.

The loss of income is a small blow in a season which has seen the club increase its financial well being following a season in the Europa League but it reflects  the worldwide situation affecting all clubs in the PL.

Burton Albion are interested in doing a deal for Hammers youngster Ossama Ashley, according to Football League World.

The 22-year-old has struggled to make a breakthrough with the Irons due to a succession of badly-timed injuries.

A midfielder, he has played just 14 times for the U23s and has yet to have any sort of involvement with the first-team.

Burton are keen to strengthen in the summer, having finished 16th in League One this season, and they are said to have added Ashley to their list of potential targets.

One has to think that it could be a permanent deal, too, although that is not stated.

He is yet to get anywhere near the Irons starting XI and it would make sense for him to move to a club where he is guaranteed first-team football.

The Irons are set to refresh their youth ranks this summer and there could be a number of deals sanctioned for young players who need minutes.

West Ham are ready to make a summer bid for Juventus striker Moise Kean if he is made available for transfer this summer.

Tuttosport reports that the Irons have made an enquiry about the Italy international ahead of the transfer window.

Juventus have the obligation to sign Kean from Everton next summer, in a deal that would be worth £23.7m.

However, Juventus are considering signing him permanently this summer before selling him on themselves.

It seems inevitable that Juve will demand a profit if they do buy Kean and then aim to sell him on.

The report makes it clear that the plan only works if Juventus can find a particularly generous suitor who is willing to buy Kean for their asking price, whatever that may be.

Kean has only scored five goals in 31 games in Serie A this season and was previously a flop for Everton, scoring just four times in 39 games.

West Ham want Championship forward Antoine Semenyo, according to a new report.

Bristol Live reports that there are a variety of Premier League clubs making checks on the Bristol City striker ahead of the summer.

He scored eight goals and laid on 12 assists in 31 Championship games this season as the club finished 17th in the second-tier.

The Irons are said to have scouted Semenyo extensively, while there is also reportedly interest from Crystal Palace, Southampton and Brighton, along with newly-promoted sides Bournemouth and Fulham.

Semenyo’s contract is set to expire at the end of next season but Bristol have the option to extend that by a further year.

Bristol are said to be expecting bids for Semenyo but they feel as though they can receive a high fee for the player, given that they are currently not under any real pressure to sell.

Still, they are not prepared to stand in his way if a Premier League club does make an offer.

West Ham want to sign Valentin Castellanos from New York City FC this summer, according to a new report.

Marca claims that there are a number of clubs eyeing a potential swoop to sign the 23-year-old striker.

Castellanos has been with New York since 2019 and has scored 53 goals for the club, in 125 games. In 2022, he has scored seven goals in 10 MLS games.

The Hammers are said to be eyeing a potential swoop as boss David Moyes looks to provide support to Mikey Antonio up front.

However, there is some serious competition for a deal to be done.

River Plate are also interested in doing a deal, having sold Julian Alvarez to Manchester City, and there is also interest from Brazilian club Palmeiras.

He would cost around £12m, which is a figure that is well within the Irons’ budget, but it remains to be seen if they can beat off the competition.

. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Manchester City are claimed to be keen on West Ham target Kalvin Phillips along with Aston Villa.

The Leeds midfielder has reportedly been identified by Pep Guardiola as a suitable replacement for Brazilian Fernandinho, who is set to depart after nine years in Manchester.

The Mirror claim City have ’emerged as contenders’ to sign the midfielder this summer as they seek a replacement for Fernandinho.

It means of course that the Premier League leaders have turned their back on ultra expensive Declan Rice who is set to stay for another season anyway.

But it doesn’t help us in our likely pursuit of the player who was very much part of David Moyes thinking last season and for whom the Hammers claimed to have had a £60 million bid turned down.

Our enthusiasm to sign the player throws a question mark over Tomas Soucek who has yet to agree a new deal and over whom David Moyes appears to have some doubts.

Hammer Jarrod Bowen has amassed 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season, the first Hammer to do so since Paolo Di Canio.

Bowen made 35 appearances in the Premier League scoring 12 goals and making 12 assists racking up 2903 minutes on the pitch.

The attacker made nine appearances in the Europa League scoring a further three goals and making an additional assist during 589 minutes on the pitch.

The EFL League Cup competition saw three more appearances and one goal while the FA cup saw three appearances and two goals.

The 25 year old made 50 appearances in total this season totalling 4,000 minutes with one game game remaining could yet hit that fabled 20 goal tally.

In 1999/2000 Di Canio scored 16 league goals in the Premier League for West Ham and 1 in the UEFA cup.

Di Canio actually scored 18 goals that season but one goal was removed the record books  after West Ham forfeited their Worthinton Cup win on penalties against Aston Villa.

This season Jarrod Bowen won the Players’ Player award at West Ham player awards but is already being touted as the new Cristiano Ronaldo by those outside of West Ham.

If Jack Grealish is worth £100m to Manchester City how much is Bowen worth if he were on sale which he most certainly is not!