With West Ham seventh in the Premier League and looking towards Europe, Gianfranco Zola is certainly keeping his side of the bargain.

Now, though, the ambitious Italian is hoping the club which gave him his big chance in management can keep their half of the deal.

Tonight at Upton Park, Zola's buoyant West Ham take on West Brom looking to maintain their push for a European place. On the pitch it could hardly be going better. Off it, however, there are still important issues to be decided before Zola can realistically begin planning to go even higher.

At least one long-standing problem was solved today, with confirmation that West Ham and Sheffield United have agreed compensation over the Carlos Tevez saga. It is thought that the Hammers will pay around £20million over five years and the deal means the club are more likely to be sold this summer with an English consortium said to be willing to pay around £100m.

The consortium are reported to be prepared to invest £30m on the squad for next season but that sum could be affected by the Tevez settlement.

The row with Sheffield United dates back to the climax to the 2006/2007 season and Hammers chief executive Scott Duxbury believes its resolution means the club can now move forward.

Duxbury said: “For everyone concerned, the time was right to draw a line under the episode. This now allows us to concentrate on our immediate ambitions, which include a strong finish to the Premier League and possible European qualification, without any negative impact on our long-term project.”

Zola has naturally been keen for the club's future to be settled as soon as possible so that he can look towards the future with some certainty. “I have to focus on the work out on the pitch,” he said. “This is why the club employed me and if I can make things work I can help the club in the process.

“With the Carlos Tevez situation resolved we can sit down and plan for the future. I am told the club will pay the money to Sheffield United over a period of years and it will not affect our spending. If we want to strengthen in the summer I will be able to do that.”

When Zola joined West Ham, his immediate ambition was to improve upon last season's 10th-place finish.

“There was a time we were two points from the bottom but even then the team believed in what we were doing and stayed together,” he said.

“The aim this season was to finish ninth. So far we are doing better and now we have another opportunity. When you achieve your objective you have to reassess things.”

Which is why Zola is now aiming higher. Despite a recent crop of injuries and a two-match suspension for main striker Carlton Cole, the manager believes a UEFA Cup place beckons, perhaps even the Champions League further down the line.

“I hope that one day I will be competing with those big teams in the Champions League and I hope it will be soon,” he said. “We will see how well I do my job and how well the team does the job. That is one of the targets we have.

“If I didn't stick to what I believe then I would not do this job. I'm not manager here because I need the money. I'm here because I like it and because I want to follow my philosophy.”

Zola is keen to put his philosophy to the test in European competition and defender James Tomkins is hopeful that the Hammers will be in the UEFA Cup next term. “There is a lot to play for,” he said. “If we can achieve that European place it will be great. That is what the manager has us aiming for.”