WEST HAM have completed a double
swoop for Inter Milan duo Mancini and Luis Jimenez. Hammers chief
executive Scott Duxbury tied up season-long loan deals for the
pair, who are worth a combined £25million on the open
market.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is an admirer of Brazilian Mancini
but West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola used his Italian contacts to land
the winger.
Mancini, 28, wants out because of a rift with Inter boss Jose
Mourinho. He will also be able to cover at right-back as Lucas
Neill looks set to quit Upton Park after rejecting a final contract
offer.
Chile striker Jimenez, 25 today, has been pursued by Zola for
weeks. Hammers will have first refusal on making the moves
permanent at the end of the season.
Mancini, rated at £15m and Jimenez, worth around £10m, are
Zola’s first signings after control of West Ham was taken from
outgoing chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson and passed to Icelandic
bank Straumar. The Hammers chief hopes to be able to land at least
one of the Inter pair on a permanent deal next summer but needs to
sell to raise cash first.
That is why West Ham have slapped a staggering £15m price tag on
defender Matthew Upson. The Hammers are resigned to losing the
England centre-half this summer, with Manchester City favourites to
sign him.
Upson, 30, has dropped heavy hints he wants to join a bigger
club in the run-up to next summer’s World Cup finals — and his
Hertfordshire house is up for sale.
England boss Fabio Capello has also advised Upson he should be
playing at the highest level possible to boost his chances of
making the squad for South Africa.
Arsenal and Liverpool are expressing passing interest in Upson
but ambitious City lead the way.
