Exclusive: Hammers in talks on new Zaza deal

Exclusive 

West Ham are currently locked in talks with Simone Zaza and his advisors with a view to removing the appearance clause from his current loan deal.

Under the terms of the contract negotiated in the summer the 25 year old would have to be signed by the Hammers after 14 appearances.

He has currently made eight League appearances and with Slaven Bilic declaring today that he will play him regardless of the clause ClaretandHugh tonight made inquiries into the January plan for the player.

And although Naples have been reported as being interested Zaza would sooner stay at West Ham and prove himself as a player worth signing at the end of the campaign.

And we were told by a highy placed source this evening (Fri): “We are currently in conversations aimed at changing the appearance clause or having it dropped altogether. We need the terms changing if the player is to remain with us.”

CandH has also discovered that any appearance by Zaza  in the EFL quarter Final match at Old Trafford next week would also count in the current 14 appearance clause.

Our source said: “Cup matches didn’t count at the early stage of the competition but this is a quarter final and this is included in the deal.”

The likelihood is that a new deal will be sorted out as the 14 match agreement has put the player under intense pressure and both he and the Irons want him to be playing free of that.