Joe Cole, left, celebrates his goal for Liverpool against West Ham last month in the Premier League. Cole is now poised to re-join his former club West Ham. Scott Heavey / Getty Images
Joe Cole, left, celebrates his goal for Liverpool against West Ham last month in the Premier League. Cole is now poised to re-join his former club West Ham. Scott Heavey / Getty Images

Transfer talk: January 3 – Joe Cole on verge of West Ham move



Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole is having a medical at West Ham ahead of his proposed return to the club where he began his career, Press Association Sport understands.

Cole has started just nine Premier League games since he swapped Chelsea for Liverpool in the summer of 2010.

The midfielder has played the majority of his games with Liverpool in cup competitions and was sent out on loan to Lille last term.

Manager Brendan Rodgers deemed the 31-year-old surplus to requirements when he took over last summer and Cole is keen to go back to Upton Park, where he began his career back in 1994.

Cole will have a medical at West Ham today and the London club hope to have him registered before midday tomorrow so that he can play in Saturday's FA Cup clash against Manchester United.

West Ham will not pay a transfer fee for the England international as Liverpool are prepared to cancel his contract.

The Merseyside club would also pay him a negotiated settlement in order to get his estimated £100,000-a-week (Dh596,000) salary off the wage bill.

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Arsene Wenger insists "the desire is there" for Arsenal to secure Theo Walcott's commitment to a new contract.

The 23-year-old will be out of contract in the summer but has been in excellent goalscoring form for the Gunners recently.

Wenger has spoken repeatedly of his intention to keep the England forward at the Emirates Stadium, and the Arsenal boss said at a press conference this morning: "We are talking.

"It is very difficult to be predictable in these kinds of situations but our desire is there to do it as quickly as possible and ready to do it."

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Athletic Bilbao have announced striker Fernando Llorente is in talks with Juventus about a move to last season's Serie A champions.

The 27-year-old's contract is up at San Mames at the end of the season and the Spanish international has stated that he will be leaving the Primera Division side.

Juventus and Premier League clubs have been heavily linked with Llorente, who scored 24 goals last season to help propel Marcelo Bielsa's side to the final of the Europa League and a 10th place league finish.

After announcing his decision to leave, Llorente has been used sparingly by Bielsa this campaign, scoring just twice in 16 matches, the majority of which have come from the bench.

His lack of goals has seemingly done little to put off Juventus - who are eight points clear at the top of Serie A and on course to retain the title.

"Juventus Football Club informed Athletic Club on January 3 that, knowing Fernando Llorente will end his stint at our club on June 30, 2013, they will begin negotiations with the player to incorporate him into their squad," the statement read.

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Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross has committed his future to the Potters by agreeing a new five-and-a-half-year contract.

The 25-year-old has been one of Stoke's biggest assets in their four-and-a-half seasons in the English Premier League and manager Tony Pulis was desperate to tie him to a new deal.

Pulis said: "It's fantastic for us as a football club. We're really, really pleased to have him.

"He's been the bedrock of what we've been trying to do over the past five or six years and we're really pleased that he's finally agreed."

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Everton defender Phil Jagielka has signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at the club until 2017.

The England international has committed his future to the Toffees until beyond his 34th birthday.

The 30-year-old has established himself as one of the most consistent defenders in the Barclays Premier League since moving to Goodison Park from Sheffield United for £4million in 2007.