West Ham seek Chamakh, Ashley Cole nets £25m deal

West Ham haven't seen much business this summer, but are in pole position to secure the signing of Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux for £7m, according to the Times. The 25-year-old French-born Moroccan striker had been a target for Arsenal and Sunderland, but the Hammers have leapfrogged their Premier League rivals in the race for Chamakh, whose 14 goals last season helped Laurent Blanc's Girondins win the French League. The east Londoners will probably have to sell James Collins and Matthew Upson to Aston Villa to fund the deal...

Harry Redknapp could make another raid on his former club Tottenham to swoop for Portsmouth's England goalkeeper David James, having lost his first choice sticksman Heurelho Gomes to a thigh injury at Hull on Tuesday night, the Daily Mail claims. James has publicly expressed his unease about the boardroom chaos at Fratton Park that has seen many players leave over the summer, and would join fellow ex-Pompey stars Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch at White Hart Lane...

Ashley Cole has become the world's highest paid full-back, after using interest in him from Barcelona and Real Madrid to negotiate an astonishing £120,000 a week, four-year deal from Chelsea that will see him earn £25m, the Sun reports. The Blues' owner Roman Abramovich was desperate not to see the left-sided leave Stamford Bridge so sanctioned the contract, which will see the England international stay at the west Londoners until 2013. With 74 caps for England already, the 28-year-old could easily pass Bobby Moore as the most capped defender for the national team...

Everton boss David Moyes is looking to bring Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin in to Goodison Park as a replacement for Joleon Lescott, when the England international's move to manchester City is finally confirmed, the Daily Mirror reveals. Moyes had originally tried to sign Philippe Senderos of Arsenal, but felt that the Swiss international wasn't worth the £6m that Arsene Wenger was demanding for him. Should Moyes get the £30m he's reported to want for Lescott, money would be no option and he could outbid Aston Villa for the 31-year-old Frenchman Distin... ·