Zola plays down firesale fears at Upton Park

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola insists the club is fighting hard to keep hold of its best players in the January transfer window.

The English Premier League side has been left in a vulnerable financial position after their Icelandic owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson became a high profile victim of the global credit crunch.

Gudmundsson has denied he will have to sell his controlling interest at Upton Park, but it’s widely anticipated there will be far more out-goings than in-comings in the current month-long window to help balance the books.

It has led to mounting speculation linking West Ham players with moves, as big-spending Manchester City target Wales forward Craig Bellamy and England midfielder Scott Parker, and Aston Villa look at defender Matthew Upson.

Winger Matthew Etherington has joined Stoke City for 3.2 million pounds while Calum Davenport is close to signing for Bolton and Lee Bowyer is in talks with Championship club Birmingham City.

Manager Zola – who welcomes Australian international Lucas Neill back from injury for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Newcastle – revealed: “We’re determined to keep our best players because we want to go to a better level. That’s what we’re trying to do and we’re determined to do it.

“I’m trying not to think about the transfer window too much because I know there are so many rumours surrounding our players. It’s not great, but we’re coping with it.

“I know the players have big offers but on the other hand we believe we’re offering them the chance to improve. Hopefully they understand that, but we’ll have to see what happens.

“We want to keep our players. We have targets to achieve and we know if we want to achieve them that we have to keep them and we hope we can.”

On midfielder Bowyer’s potential move to Birmingham, Zola revealed: “Lee spoke to a club and we will see. He’s not playing enough here and he might want to go and play more football but if he stays then we’ll be happy to keep him.”

And on defender Davenport, he added: “It’s down to him. He’s had an offer from a club, now it is up to him to decide if he wants to go.”

West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer could make his first start for 17 months against his old club after his long-awaited return from a broken leg as a substitute in the FA Cup victory over Barnsley last weekend.

Meanwhile, Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear insists he’s unconcerned by Michael Owen’s barren spell in front of goal

The club’s top scorer has failed to add to his nine-goal tally in the last four games, but Kinnear said of the England international: “Michael’s a world class striker who has been doing well for us and getting into some great positions. That’s all you can ask from your strikers and you have to accept that some weeks they won’t score.”

Owen will be partnered up front by young forward Andy Carroll as Kinnear wrestles with a mounting injury crisis. Nicky Butt serves a one-match suspension while fellow midfielders Danny Guthrie (flu) and Charles N’Zogbia (dead leg) are both doubts.

That’s in addition to the more long-term absentees Mark Viduka (groin), Obafemi Martins (groin), Joey Barton (knee), Shola Ameobi (ankle), Habib Beye (ankle) and Alan Smith (Achilles).

Kinnear added: “Andy Carroll has done very well for me and he will start the next two games because of the amount of players we have out injured.”