Zarate linked with a return to Italy

West Ham striker Mauro Zarate has been linked with a return to Italy. Corriere dello Sport says Fiorentina are weighing up a move for Zarate to replace Giuseppe Rossi who could be included as part of the deal in the opposite direction to West Ham.

Mauro Zarate was notably absent again from the 18 man squad that faced Newcastle on Saturday. His exclusion came after Bilic claimed he should be fit for the Newcastle match, suggesting he missed Bournemouth’s game on Tuesday evening due to cramp.

Slav told the assembled media earlier this week “On Zarate, he felt (pain) before the Bournemouth game in training the day before he was shooting some free kicks and all that then he felt a bit (of pain), but was just a kind of cramp so he is also training today and should be fit for Saturday and that is basically it”  

Zarate’s absence over the last two games has created much speculation he could be outbound in this January transfer window and he could have played his last game in a Claret and Blue shirt. We have been told that West Ham are ready to allow Mauro Zarate to leave the club if an offer of around £3 million were to emerge out of Europe.

ClaretandHugh have been told whilst there have been no firm bids for the Argentinian so far, the club is ready to listen to bids for him. Within Zarate’s 11 year career he has moved either permanently or on loan eight times. A senior insider told ClaretandHugh: “There has been no official approach from anywhere”. That was quickly followed by the source adding: “It wouldn’t be a great surprise to be honest were we to get one later on in the window. Should bids come in then we will certainly be ready to listen.”