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Encouraging news is emerging from various Portugese media outlets with regards to what would be an upping of the stakes Hammers move for William Carvalho. Reports suggest that the player's representative, Pere Guardiola, Pep's brother, has already agreed terms for the 25 year old combative midfielder for a five year deal.

Those West Ham fans hoping Scottish International Robert Snodgrass was about to be shipped out to Aston Villa will be severely disappointed that Villa chairman Dr Tony Xia has distanced the club from any move for the 29 year old Hammers signed from Hull for an astonishing £10.2 Million during the January transfer window as a 'replacement' for Dimitri Payet!

West Ham United have signed 18 year old Montenegro International Sead Haksabanovic on a five year contract for a fee of around £3.5 Million from Swedish club Halmstads BK, is he one of the "ones for the future" Co-Owner David Sullivan hinted at when recently discussing the club's recruitment policy, or is the plan to try and unleash him on teams that have never seen him?.

Observers clearly lacking in knowledge about what pre-season football is supposed to be for, ie bringing a team to full fitness and full preparation ahead of the new season, as opposed to the friendlies being a cash cow, have been quick to condemn West Ham United's performance against a Man City team that had recently trounced Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur.

As West Ham United prepare to take on Manchester City in Iceland the full squad of Goalkeepers: Hart, Adrian. Defenders: Zabaleta, Byram, Masuaku, Fonte, Collins, Ogbonna, Rice. Midfielders: Obiang, Makasi, Noble, Fernandes, Snodgrass, Arnautovic, Holland, Ayew.Strikers: Chicharito, Martinez, appears to have some glaring absentees, not least of which being Hammers own jewel in the crown Manuel Lanzini!

One thing most observers would say is that the once famed but recently under performing West Ham United Academy has finally come through with a new bunch of youngsters who are genuinely contenders for a first team place. To some sending Reece Burke and Josh Cullen out on loan to Bolton Wanderers might seem a negative step with regards to the player's development, but they are going to work with a manager they already know, and more importantly are guaranteed playing time.

Altona 93: Du Preez, Aniteye, Correia Ca, Yilmaz, Wachowski, Hosseini, Lechler, Hinze, Sachs, Brisevac, Kunter, Holz, Rettstadt, Dogan, Novotny, Grundmann, Cayir, Schultz, Siebert, Edeling, Matthai, Thiessen, Grubba, Buzhala
West Ham United: Adrian, Hart, Matrevics, Byram, Zabaleta, Cresswell, Masuaku, Collins, Ogbonna, Fonte, Reid, Burke, Rice, Makasi, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Obiang, Fernandes, Cullen, Holland, Arnautovic, Ayew, Martinez, Chicharito

In a laughingly 'fishing' article from those bastions of truth the Daily Mail, Everton are weighing up a £9million move for West Ham defender Winston Reid. Apparently Manager Ronald Koeman wants cover for the injured Ramiro Funes Mori and is considering a bid for the 29 year old, who has just returned to training following surgery on a long standing shin injury.

Werder Bremen: Pavlenka, Caldirola, Sane, Bauer, Augustinsson, Delaney, M.Eggestein, Bartels, Kainz, Kruse, Zhang
West Ham United: Hart, Zabaleta, Fonte, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Obiang (c), Cullen, Fernandes, Arnautovic, Snodgrass, Ayew
Subs: Adrian (GK), Byram, Burke, Collins, Cresswell, Rice, Makasi, Holland, Martinez
Match Kicks off at 14:30 and is being shown on Premier Sports TV

West Ham United: Adrian, Byram, Burke, Collins, Cresswell, Rice, Noble ( c ), Cullen, Holland, Makasi, Martinez Subs: Hart (GK), Zabaleta, Masuaku, Fonte, Ogbonna, Obiang, Snodgrass, Arnautovic, Fernandes, Ayew
Hammers 1-0 down after 11 minutes, Mark Noble off injured on the half hour! Replaced by Pedro Obiang, James Collins went of with a calf strain right at the death.