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While the Phony transfer war is on we thought we would think about The 2018 World Cup in Russia which will be held in less than twelve months and when they aren’t cheering on their national teams, football fans will be keeping an eye out for their club players in action at the championships. Just three teams have qualified so far but 29 more will follow and West Ham United are expected to have a number of players involved next summer.

We were going to go live with an astonishing article based on what was supposed to be realistic information, however given that it is the time of the summer solstice and the Glastonbury Festival we eventually assumed someone had been already engaging in their pre-festival warm up activities. However this story has some strange 'legs' on it given who might be the player involved, suffice to say the two Davids love a coup especially Mr Sullivan! What would you do as an owner of a club who albeit wealthy cannot begin to compete with mega wealthy Uber Billionaires?

Reece Oxford is close to signing a season long loan move to Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach. West Ham's 18 year old star of the future spent five relatively unsuccessful months on loan at Reading last season, he has had a medical ahead of a move to Germany where it is hoped that he can hone his skills ready to take his place in the first team. Oxford was the second youngest player to start a Premier League match when he played against Arsenal, aged 16 years and 198 days, in August 2015.

West Ham's 2017-18 Premier League fixtures are out, with Slaven Bilic seeking a better start to the season than last time around.

That may be difficult with a trip to Manchester United up first, but the Hammers then face a run - Southampton, Newcastle, Huddersfield and West Brom - during which Bilic will be expected, and required, to pick up points.

The east Londoners will need to get points on the board before a tough December, with games against Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal in a row before the Christmas rush.

'Cash rich' Everton are reportedly sniffing around for Pedro Obiang, apparently they are not alone with AC Milan and Sevilla also interested in luring the combative midfielder and defender to their clubs. Obiang has two years left on his contract following his £4.3 Million transfer from Sampdoria. Initially Obiang found himself more often as a squad player or a bench warmer, but more recently became a permanent fixture in the starting line up. Everton boss Ronald Koeman wants Obiang as a replacement for James McCarthy and to provide support for Idrissa Gueye.

Gary Lewin has been announced as West Ham United's new Head of Medical Services, Lewin arrives at the London Stadium having previously combined 22 years as first team physiotherapist at Arsenal with 18 as England’s physio, the last six as England Senior Head of Physiotherapy. The 53-year-old was born in East Ham and spent time on West Ham’s books as a schoolboy goalkeeper, before turning to physiotherapy full-time at the age of 19.

Have West Ham missed a golden opportunity to join the big guns? It almost feels like a lifetime ago since West Ham not only finished above Liverpool and Chelsea in the table, but were a mere four points adrift of the top four. Some may argue that we over achieved last season, but there can be no question that the Hammers performed superbly throughout the 2016/2017 campaign which was littered with superb performances and results, particularly against the best teams in the Premier League.

Burnley FC: Heaton, Long, Lawton, Tarkowski, Ward, Brady, Westwood, Hendrick, Arfield, Vokes, Gray. Subs: Flanagan, Defour, Barnes, Agvei, Gudmundsson, Darikwa, Pope.
West Ham United: Adrian, Cresswell, Collins (c), Ogbonna, Byram, Fonte, Feghouli, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Fernandes, Ayew. Subs: Randolph, Quina, Rice, Makasi, Fletcher, Kemp.

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has been putting as positive a spin as is possible on the season that concludes tomorrow at Burnley, one of his favourite expressions is "and all that" followed closely by "blah blah". Well let's deal with the 'and all that' first, Mark Noble, Cheikou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang, Angelo Ogbonna, Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho, Authur Masuaku, Sam Byram, Michail Antonio and Winston Reid have all needed operations during this calamitous first season at the London Stadium.

West Ham: Adrian, Fonte, Reid, Collins, Byram, Fernandes, Nordtveit, Cresswell, Lanzini, Ayew, Calleri.
Subs: Randolph, Feghouli, Snodgrass, Ogbonna, Fletcher, Quina, Rice.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Matip, Milner, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Coutinho, Origi, Sturridge.
Subs: Karius, Moreno, Grujic, Alexander-Arnold, Lucas, Klavan, Woodburn.