The fourth transfer target for the Left back position has emerged as 20 year old Raphaël Guerreiro. He joins a list of four Left backs which include Urby Emanuelson Martin Olssen and Timothee Kolodziejczak as potential transfers.

He made his first-team debut for the Ligue 2 club Caen in the 2012–13 season for whom he made 38 appearances scoring one goal before joining Ligue 1 Lorient on a four-year deal for whom he has made 21 appearances. Although born in France, Guerreiro accepted the call to represent the Portugal National Under-21 Team earning 2 caps, He made his debut against Sweden on 21 March 2013. He is thought to be valued around 3.5 million euros.

Earlier this year Guerreiro emerged as a possible target for Liverpool with some inside the game claiming he has the potential to be one of the best left backs in the world.

I have seen some comments and also read an article recently where some are condemning West Ham for not having any players at this years World Cup. So, I thought it best to have a look back at previous tournaments and see what has transpired since the halcyon days of Moore, Hurst and Peters.

Since we won the World Cup in 1966, England have failed to qualify three times. Those years were 1974, 1978 and 1994 and West Ham did not have any players representing any other countries playing in those tournaments. Trevor Brooking (England) and Van Der Elst (Belgium) played in the 1982 World Cup finals and Alvin Martin (England) and Frank McAvennie (Scotland) both played in the 1986 tournament in Mexico. It is a real shame that Brooking was past his prime, aged 33 when he got his one and only game in a World Cup finals match. He came on as second half substitute for just 26 minutes against the hosts Spain in Madrid. In 1990, 1998 and 2006 we only had four representatives in total. Ludek Miklosko for the Czech’s in 1990, Rio Ferdinand for England and Bernard Lama for France in 1998 followed by Shaka Hislop for Trinidad and Tobago in 2006. In fact we have only had 15 players from West Ham play in the World Cup finals since 1974 – that is fifteen players in the eleven times the event has been held over the past forty years. So, the fact that we have no players from West Ham at this years Finals is not exactly earth shattering stuff.

OK, so let’s have a look at the two times we have sent a large contingent. Those years were 2002 and 2010. In 2002 we sent the largest contingent of English West Ham players since 1966. David James, Trevor Sinclair and Joe Cole all went to South Korea and England were beaten in the quarter finals by the eventual winners Brazil. In 2010 we had four players leave from the Boleyn to go and play in South Africa. Robert Green and Matthew Upson of England were joined by Jonathan Spector (USA) and Behrami (Switzerland).

Make of it what you will, but those last two aforementioned World Cup years where we had a total of seven representatives, what happened to West Ham the following season? Yep, that’s right, we were relegated both times! The three previous times we have sent no one we had respectable seasons including winning the FA Cup in 1975. Now I am not saying that sending players to a World Cup is detrimental to the club’s following season, but it will mean we should have a completely fresh squad when it comes to the start of pre-season training later this year.

Winston Reid’s representatives are said to be holding out for a 5 year £75k per week deal for their client.

The centre back joined West Ham in August 2010 on a three year contract for a fee believed to be around £3m. This deal was later extended by two years which will take him up to August 2015.His transfer fee was the subject of a dispute between West Ham United and his former club FC Midtjylland as West Ham withheld the fee to bring to UEFA’s attention fees owing to them from the sale of Alessandro Diamanti to Brescia.

He has made 93 appearances for West Ham scoring five goals against opposition including against Milwall and Spurs. If the deal is agreed it would make Reid the second highest earner in the club after Andy Carroll who is though to earn £80k per week.

A 5 year deal would cost almost £20m in wages including agent fees, If he was sold this summer he could raise around £6m

According to a club source the negotiations are ‘complicated with many variables’ but if a top six club come in for him I am doubtful we can hold on to him. To date no official enquiries or bids have been received for the centre back although both Liverpool and Arsenal are claimed to be interested.

In other news it appears West Ham are moving closer to signing another centre back as a possible ready made replacement. The Hammers are said to be a lot closer to making Cheikhou Kouyate their second signing of the transfer window. Anderlecht and West Ham can not agree a price on an outright purchase so the deal could take the form of a loan deal with first option to buy at the end of the season. Although Valencia made a bid for the defender he is understood to have his heart set on the Premier League. Arsenal scouted him and were though to be interested but that has not materialised.

Former Fulham loanee Urby Emanuelson has emerged as the third transfer target for the left back position joining Martin Olssen and Timothee Kolodziejczak as potential transfers.

The 27 year old AC Milan left back who can also play as a winger or midfielder is said to be keen for a return to the Premier League. In January 2013 he joined Fulham until the end of the season playing 14 times and scoring one goal. He is a product of Ajax’s youth system, joining them from Voorland SC. He made 173 appearances for Ajax scoring 17 goals before joining AC Milan in 2011 for around 2.5m euros. He has made 74 appearances for AC Milan scoring 3 times. Last season he made 32 appearances, 23 in the league, 8 in Europe and 1 in the Coppa cup. He was also a member of the Dutch national team up until 2012 earning 16 caps.

AC Milan are on the look out for a new left back and Erby is deemed surplus to requirements.

Matthew Taylor has been released from the club following a break down on a new deal.

The 32 year old midfielder had been offered a short term deal on reduced terms but Taylor and his agents turned it down.

Matt Taylor joined West Ham United from Bolton Wanderers in July 2011. He made 76 appearances for the hammers finding the net two times.

He previously played for Luton Town, Portsmouth and the England Under-21 side. Last season he scored with a trademark long-range effort in West Ham United’s 6-2 win at Cork City in their opening pre-season fixture. After featuring in the Capital One Cup, made his first Barclays Premier League appearance of the campaign from the bench in the 0-0 draw at Southampton on 15 September 2013 and scored from the spot to help the Hammers defeat Burnley 2-0 in the Capital One Cup fourth round on 29 October 2013. He was an important element of the team that helped preserve the Hammers’ clean sheet in their 0-0 draw at Chelsea on 29 January 2014 and became a crucial part of the Hammers’ revival in the second half of the campaign in a defensive midfield role.

Earlier this year Taylor reflected at his time at West Ham

“The older you get, to be running out at Old Trafford, Chelsea or Upton Park, to be in that position as a professional footballer, you appreciate it. The older you get, you realise it’s not around for ever.When you’re younger you don’t think that far ahead, because you’re trying to get to the next stage of your career. The older you get, you appreciate everything you have and everything still to come.”