Nolan set for Hammers move

Sam Allardyce was today hoping to be able to hand Kevin Nolan the task of leading West Ham back into the Barclays Premier League.

The popular Nolan headed south from Newcastle for a medical yesterday after the Magpies and the Hammers agreed an undisclosed fee for the 28-year-old, a development which was greeted with fury on Tyneside.

Allardyce is hoping to land both Nolan and former Bolton team-mate Ricardo Gardner within the next day or so as he rebuilds his new squad for a promotion push.

Neither the Hammers nor Newcastle have commented on the Nolan situation, but the Londoners released a statement confirming their intention to make a double swoop.

It said: “West Ham United can confirm that the club hope to announce two new signings within the next 24 hours.

“Both prospective arrivals are proven Premier League players and will add greatly to new manager Sam Allardyce’s first-team squad ahead of the 2011-12 season.”

It is understood Allardyce will ask his former Bolton captain Nolan to reprise the role at Upton Park with Scott Parker expected to leave this summer, and help drag the club back into the top flight in the wake of relegation.

He contributed 18 goals to Newcastle’s successful promotion campaign and a further 12 in the Premier League last season, but having failed to reach an agreement over a contract extension – he has two years remaining on his existing deal – he seems destined for the Hammers.

The Magpies recently rejected a £1.5m bid as “derisory”, but an agreement has since been reached which will undoubtedly please the West Ham faithful, but not their counterparts on Tyneside.

Indeed, Newcastle team-mate Joey Barton told Sky Sports: “Obviously, it would be a great disappointment to lose Kev. He’s a great pal and I think he has done fantastically for the football club.

“But this is the game were are in, unfortunately. Sometimes it is a little bit like ships in the night.

“Hopefully, the move breaks down, but if it doesn’t, you have got to believe in the process of the football club, and no one player is bigger than the football club.”

Barton’s own future remains uncertain after he was told he will not be offered a new deal as he enters the final 12 months of his current contract.

However, having earlier predicted Nolan’s prospective departure could signal the end for the likes of himself, Jose Enrique and Jonas Gutierrez at St James’ Park, he reiterated his desire to stay.

Barton said: “I have got no ambitions to leave the football club, I don’t want to leave the football club.

“I would love nothing more so than to win a trophy at Newcastle, the same way as a number of players.

“Whether I get the opportunity to do that is out of my hands.”