Mediawatch - 18 May


The latest rumours from the papers on transfer targets and more...

Hammers legend Tony Cottee reckons Jermain Defoe would prefer a return to the Hammers over another of the Clubs rumoured to be interested in securing his services, AFC Bournemouth.

Cottee told Sky Sports: "I think [West Ham is] his preferred choice. Obviously it depends on the owners and the people running West Ham.

"Would I like him there? Yes I would. He's a goalscorer and it's hard to buy goalscorers now. People say he's 34, but with the modern game, I think it's easier to play at a latter age.”

Meanwhile, Sir Trevor Brooking has told the Evening Standard he would love to see Manchester City full-back Pablo Zabaleta sign for the Hammers.

He said: "He can play a few different roles and whoever he ends up with, he's going to be a plus. I'd be delighted [if he joined West Ham]."

Away from transfers, James Collins has revealed that John Terry gave the Hammers even more incentive to beat Tottenham in their recent London derby.

Collins said in the Metro: "John Terry text me and Mark Noble saying, ‘If you boys beat Tottenham there’s a dinner or a night out on the Chelsea boys,’ so that was nice.

"But we wanted to beat Tottenham anyway. We’re lucky we did in the end looking at the result we got after that [a 4-0 loss against Liverpool]. It was a massive result, it put us safe and obviously to beat our closest rivals at home was massive."