Sullivan becomes Hammers majority shareholder

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling on Twitter

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has become the club's majority shareholder after purchasing a controlling interest in the club.

Sullivan had previously been an equal partner in the Upton Park club with business partner David Gold, but now owns 55.6% of West Ham after purchasing a further 25% in shares from CB Holdings, which had controlled the club after former chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson was declared bankrupt.

The former Birmingham owner's investment is said to be part of a restructuring plan for the club's £25.5m debt, while Gold owns 30% of WH Holdings, the Hammers' parent company and CB Holdings' stake in the club has been cut to 10%.

'Proud' Potts looking forward to England action: defender and West Ham teammate Hall called up to U20 World Cup squad

After a lack of West Ham players in Stuart Pearce’s England U21 squad may have come as a disappointment, Dan Potts and Rob Hall have both been named in Peter Taylor’s provision U20 squad for the upcoming FIFA U20 World Cup this summer.

 

Taylor has named the two Hammers in the 35 man squad, but this will be cut down to just 21 on June 7th, so the young pair will have to impress in the training camp.

For Potts, this was an added bonus after initially being included in the U19 team for the UEFA European U19 Championship Elite Qualifying Round, but he will now be trying to impress at the next level.

The 19 year old defender told whufc.com: "I'm pleased to have been called-up, definitely... I'm very proud. It's a great experience. International football is a different kind of football. There is a lot to take in and you are representing your country at the end of the day.

"As much as it being a proud honour, you want to do your best for your country and the main objective is to do well.

"At the end of the day, as a young footballer you want to be at the top and it doesn't get much better than representing your country, that's for sure."

Potts also reflected on his season with the West Ham U21s and the first team, and he is pleased with his progress this season.

He said: "Looking back, I've got some good memories. I've had some good results and some bad results but it's all experience and a learning curve, so I take nothing but positives from them."

He also described his personal highlight from the season, singling out the 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the FA Cup.

On that match, he said: "It was definitely up there with my best individual performances. You've got to take into account I was playing against the future champions of England. It was a great experience and now I just want to push on into next year."

Meanwhile, Rob Hall’s England  experience at U17 level will hold him in good stead for this new challenge. After an impressive season on loan with Bolton and Birmingham, he will be hoping for a bigger opportunity at international level.

The U20 World Cup will be held in Turkey from June 21st and England will face Iraq, Chile and Egypt in Group E.

By Lucy Woolford, Youth and Development Squad reporter

@lucy_whufc

Hall over: young striker returns from Trotters loan

West Ham striker Rob Hall has returned to the Boleyn Ground after completing a somewhat frustrating loan spell at Championship outfit Bolton Wanderers.

The loan was Hall's second of the season, after an excellent few weeks at Bolton's Championship rivals Birmingham City, where he provided seven assists and became a real fan's favourite.

However, the 19 year old's time at the Reebok Stadium proved to be less productive, as he only made one appearance, in Bolton's 2-2 final day draw with local rivals Blackpool last Saturday- a result which saw the Lancashire side narrowly miss out on making the Championship play-offs.

Hall has been back in action immediately after arriving in London, as he started this afternoon's Development Squad against West Bromwich Albion U21s. Sadly, the youngster was unable to help his Hammers teammates end the U21 season on a high, having missed out on the U21 Premier League play offs, as Albion ran out 1-0 winners.

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling

Irons in £1m swoop for City slicker Redmond

West Ham are lining up a cut-price move for Birmingham midfielder Nathan Redmond, according to the Sun.

The 19 year old has had yet another impressive season for the Blues and has earned high praise for his mature displays in midfield alongside Hammers loanee Ravel Morrison, and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is said to be lining up a £1m move for the England U19 international.

The Irons were originally linked with Redmond last summer, after promotion from the Championship but no move materialised as Allardyce pursued more experienced signings. However, with co-chairman David Gold stating last month the club's intentions to get some "young, stronger players" in, a deal for the talented young attacker could well be on the cards.

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling

Morrison likely to be loaned out again next season

West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald has told TalkSport that young midfielder Ravel Morrison, who has spent this season on loan at Championship outfit Birmingham City, could be heading back out on loan next season.

The exciting 20 year old has earned rave reviews for his performances at St Andrews, and after a difficult start, Blues' boss Lee Clark declared that he wanted to keep Morrison for another season, describing his player to the Birmingham Mail as a 'genius'.

Morrison has played 29 games for Birmingham this season, scoring twice and appears to be enjoying his time at the club, tweeting an hour ago "good day at training today good memories sad to say it was the last day".

Now, McDonald has said today that the Irons are in no way ruling out sending Morrison out on loan again next season, saying that "one of the reasons we sent him to Birmingham was for him to get that consistent time on the field- he would have had a job getting in our team."

"He has got in the team at Birmingham and played consistently well which is great. I saw comments from Lee Clark saying that he'd like to have him back which would be great."

"That's a decision for the manager- do we bring him back because he's had a good year's football inside him or do we leave him there to see if he'll develop more? We'll decide that in the summer."

Morrison has been attracting attention from all over the country, with Manchester City reportedly inquiring about the midfielder's availability in recent weeks.

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling

Irons officials head to Belgium in pursuit of versatile prodigy Ozaturk

West Ham have sent a delegation to Belgium in a bid to sign 19 year old Beerschot midfielder Alpaslan Ozaturk, the Daily Mail have reported today.

The gifted young player can operate at right back as well as in midfield and is available on a free transfer after his club were relegated from the top flight.

Ozaturk has represented both Belgium and Turkey, where his parents hail from, at youth level and has tasted English football already after a two year stint at Birmingham City as a youth player.

We at Blowing Bubbles have not been able to source any grainy, selective, unreliable YouTube footage of Ozaturk at the moment so the proof of the pudding of this one will be in the amazing future superstar.

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling