Ferdinand & Lescott over the hill

It is clear that Joleon Lescott and Rio Ferdinand who have been heavily linked to moves to West Ham this summer in the media are not transfer targets.

David Sullivan appears to have discounted both of them on account of their age in an interview with the London Evening Standard yesterday. He told Ken Dyer “We have got five or six players lined up, most are young players — the youngest is 19 but has already played top-level football in two countries, while the oldest is 27. I can’t say more than that as you genuinely risk losing the deals.”

Lescott, 31 was rumoured to be willing to accept a 50% pay cut to join West Ham at £45,000 per week but his age appears to count against him as Sullivan makes it clear he wants more youthful transfer targets. Hammers legend Rio Ferdinand  now 35 who recently has become a bookies favourite to join West Ham since after his release from Manchester United is also discounted on the same grounds.

The upper age limit of 27 quoted by Sullivan is expected to include Mauro Zarate who just turned 27. He is expected to fly into London today for talks with West Ham. The lower age limit of 19 is presumed to be M’Baye Niang who is expected to join the hammers on an initial £250,000 loan with an option to buy for £4m.