Hammers still wait for response on striker

West Ham still haven’t completed a deal which will see the removal of an appearance clause from Simone Zaza’s loan deal and are hoping Naples will take the flop off their hands.

Talks with parent club Juventus have been going on for several weeks but the club have yet to receive a definite response from the Italian outfit on a re-arranged deal.

However, with Naples showing some interest the Irons would far sooner offload the player altogether and make room in the wages bill for a winter signing.

Valencia are also believed to have shown an interest but whatever happens the player will not be retained by the Hammers on the basis of the current deal.

We were told that in the worst possible circumstances of their being no other buyer or an unwillingness by Juve to  drop the appearance clause Zaza would face a zero future.

The player has no chance of being used in 14 appearances which would see him sit the rest of the season out an- d nd that is of no use to the Italians who would see the player’s value drop dramatically.

ClaretandHugh was told: “We await a response from Juventus but our position is written in tablets of stone – there will be no permanent deal.”