West Ham closing in on new signing

The Hammers confirmed the negoatiations while announcing the signing of Tal Ben Haim on loan from Portsmouth.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “With the ink barely dry on Ben Haim’s contract, club officials stepped up their bid to secure a fifth signing this close-season and hope to have the deal finalised within the next 72 hours.

“The potential recruit is a young international who represented his country with distinction at the 2010 World Cup.”