Struggling Hammers tracking 15 players

WEST HAM co-owner David Gold has revealed the club are tracking 15 players in their bid to complete the great escape.

Despite the Hammers being saddled with more than £100 million (€117m) of debt, Gold is ready to open the chequebook this weekend to help manager Avram Grant make them only the second club to avoid the drop after being bottom of the Barclays Premier League at Christmas.

Victory at Fulham on St Stephen’s Day was the perfect way to begin — and also spared Grant from the axe according to some reports — while Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Everton continued West Ham’s unbeaten run over the festive period.

But injuries are threatening to undo all their good work and Gold is aware of the importance of bolstering the squad when the January transfer window opens on Saturday.

“We’ve got 15 irons in the fire, and I mean that literally,” he said.

“We’re just concentrating on incomings, and if you get three, you’ve done good.”

The first of those will be Steve Sidwell from Aston Villa but Gold would not name other targets.

“There’s a lot of secret stuff going on; we’re trying to outwit our competitors,” he said.

The January window is also likely to lead to renewed speculation over the futures of the Hammers’ best players, most notably star midfielder Scott Parker, who the club have repeatedly insisted is going nowhere.

Striker Frederic Piquionne was quoted this week saying he would be interested in a move to Aston Villa but Gold said: “He’s not for sale.

“This club is fighting for its life.

“It’s got to change what it’s been doing. For 30 years, it’s been selling its best players. That’s got to stop.”

Grant is hoping to complete a deal for Sidwell in time for Saturday’s relegation six-pointer against Wolves.

With the Hammers having played at least a game more than all of their rivals, it looks a must-win match.

But Gold refused to bill it as such.

“If we don’t beat Wolves then we start all over again,” said the former Birmingham supremo, who was keen to point out this would not entail a change of manager.

“I mean you brush yourself down and you come again. But we’re not even thinking that way.”

He added: “I am pleased with what we’ve done over Christmas.

“I would say the bookies will have to redo their sums if we beat Wolves.

“If we win against Wolves you’ve got to say that’s not the performance of a relegation side.”

Keeping their best players fit during the second half of the season will be crucial, according to Gold.

“Every time I go into the dressing room, the first guy I go to is the physio,” he said.

“I want to know if there are any serious injuries.

“And all the time you’re terrified. If Scotty Parker goes down, you think: ‘God!”’