Hopes fading for defensive targets

Hopes are fading that West Ham will  sign either Fiorentina’s’s Nikola Millenkovic or Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma.

Both had been considered front runners for the vacant centre back position left by Fabian Balbuena but while not completely dead, David Moyes now looking at other central defensive options and is likely to move on.

West Ham is thought to have agreed on a price with Fiorentina for their defender but couldn’t reach an agreement with the player’s representative with neither side willing to budge.

The problem is thought to be related to agent commissions paid rather than wages or length of contract on offer.  The agent in question is thought to be Fali Ramadani who hit headlines for the wrong reasons last year after being involved in court proceedings.

Although a return for Kurt Zouma has been mooted by Sky Sports, club insiders have told Claret and Hugh that is also unlikely and David Moyes is turning his attentions else were to sign another centre back target.