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Ever since his arrival at the Old Boleyn Ground courtesey of the dubious enigma that is Kia Joorabchian and his multi million dollar' financial clearance house' Media Sports Investment, Carlos Tevez has courted controversy. West Ham ended up paying a £5 Million fine and a further £20 Million in unfair compensation payments to lower league strugglers Sheffield United for incorrect player registrations as both Tevez and Barcleona's Javier Mascherano were jointly owned by two different parties, contrary to FA and Premier League legislation.

Sources close to Gokhan Tore have told the Turkish Football Association that the 24 year old has passed his West Ham medical and is expected to sign a one year loan deal with West Ham United later today (friday july 8th). The deal incorporates the option to sign Tore on a full time basis when the loan expires, and is the result of a massive amount of effort by West Ham to get Slaven Billic his man.

The silver lining in the cloud for all those Hammers fans who were unable to get a season ticket and have now had to join an endless waiting list, is that West Ham United will feature in three live Sky TV broadcasts in August.

Obviously there will be many twists and turns in the hugely inflated transfer market this summer, but forwards seem to always be the recurring theme, and the forwards at West Ham United are no exception. On the face of it Hammers are fairly well catered for with Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia all competing for the lone striker role that is part of Slaven Billic's normal team line up, however beneath the surface there are serious causes for concern.

West Ham United's second longest current player and product of the once legendary Hammers academy, James Tomkins, is on his way to London and Barclays Premiership League rivals Crystal Palace in what seems to those not necessarily in the know as a bargain basement £10 Million transfer deal. 'Tomka has been involved with West Ham for nigh on twenty years, and his departure is seen as a negative inditement of the modern age to many supporters who see 'one of their own' coming through the ranks as a glowing endorsement of a halcyon day loved view of all things claret & blue.

Manchester United striker Ashley Fletcher is under going a medical at West Ham ahead of a proposed move to the Olympic Stadium according to various media sources, the 20-year-old's current contract at Old Trafford expires this summer and he will be allowed to join up with 'Super Slav' and his boys on a free transfer. Well, not exactly free, if a deal is completed Manchester United will be due a compensation fee as Fletcher came through the club's youth system.

Is Michy Batshuayi worth £35 Million? In the current cash sloshing world of not only the Barclays Premiership but also in the world of the massively rich clubs like Real Madrid and Paris St Germain, not forgetting the burgeoning Chinese Super League, yes he is!

England's premature, but inevitable, exit from the European Championships in France has paved the way for out of touch manager Roy Hodgson's resignation, not before time but sadly not soon enough. Little sympathy, if any at all, will be shown by West Ham United fans irked by the omission of their players who should have been there representing England on pure merit rather than meritocracy, however "these things happen", and Hammers have ended up as beneficiaries in that none of their players will have been tarnished with the same brush as those who underachieved in france.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has re-iterated Hammers mid field maestro, Dimitri Payet, would "Improve any European team", he went on to say "He's always had the talent, but now at 29 years of age he's getting the recognition he deserves," Zidane added, "When he was not in the national team he never gave up and is now showing that he's one of the most important and talented players, not only in France but in Europe. "He's had an incredible season with West Ham and is now at the European Championship.

At 2pm BST the Parc Olympique Lyonnais will be the venue for the France against the Republic of Ireland Euro Championship knock out match, a match which sees West Ham United team mates Dimitri Payet and Darren Randolph line up against each other. Surprisingly, apart from a cameo appearance by Angelo Agbona for Italyand some bench warming by James Collins for Wales, Payet and Randolph are Hammers only representatives at the Euro's, rather strange considering West Ham finished 7th in what is supposed to be the best football league in the world!