Premiership: Hammers closing on soccer star

West Ham have agreed a fee for Slovakia international left-back Vladimir Labant.

Hammers manager Glenn Roeder has agreed a £1m (€1.6m) fee with Czech side Sparta Prague and Labant will complete his move to the Barclaycard Premiership if he passes a medical and is given a work permit.

The 27-year-old is due to complete the formalities of his switch today after flying into London last night with Roeder hoping to have Labant available for Saturday’s home game against Leicester.

‘‘We are trying to complete the deal in the next day or two,’’ the manager told the club’s official website.

‘‘If we get the green light, which we hope to, it is a question of whether we can get him registered in time to be involved against Leicester.

‘‘I will only know he is our player when the ink has dried. We think we are there and it is just a question of whether we can get it all tied up in the next day or two.

‘‘With the squad so small and the games coming in thick and fast we are definitely going to need more bodies, and he has got just the experience I was looking for.

‘‘His pedigree is decent you have to be a very good player to play for Sparta Prague and they are having a very good campaign this season in the Champions’ League.

‘‘I thought he would be a good addition to our squad because he is versatile.’’