Gianfranco Zola insists West Ham are determined to retain their best players during the winter transfer window.
Italian makes promise to star players
Gianfranco Zola insists West Ham are determined to retain their best players during the winter transfer window despite their financial problems.
The Hammers are currently looking to raise funds as they owe Sheffield United compensation for the Carlos Tevez saga, while chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is short of cash following the demise of Hansa.
Manchester City have bid for star duo Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker, but Zola hopes the players decide to stay at Upton Park as he promises to make them better players.
"I know the players (Bellamy and Parker) have had big offers but on the other hand we believe we are offering them the possibility to improve, to get better and better," stated Zola. "Hopefully our players will see that and consider it.
"The club is determined to keep the best players because we want to take the team to a better level. Sometimes you have to accept certain things - but at the moment we are determined to do this.
Keep our players
"We want to keep our players. We have targets to achieve and we know if we want to achieve them, then we have to keep our best players. We hope we can keep them."
Meanwhile, Zola has defended the club's sale of Matthew Etherington to Stoke City stating there was little point in keeping a player who was not featuring regularly.
Defender Calum Davenport is also mulling over a switch to Bolton, while Lee Bowyer could also depart after The Hammers accepted a bid from Birmingham for his services.
"We chose to do the best for all parties involved. It is good for him [Etherington]. He will be playing regularly. We left on very good terms," the Italian continued.
"(Davenport) has had an offer from a club. Now it is down to him to decide whether it is good enough.
"Lee Bowyer spoke to a club and we will see. He is not playing enough in this club and he may want to go and play some more football. We will see what happens. If he decides to stay we will be very happy to keep him."
