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Injury-prone Dean Ashton on Stoke's radar
25.06.09
West Ham striker Dean Ashton is a target for Stoke.
The striker has been dogged by injury but Stoke chairman Peter Coates has confirmed the club's interest in the 25-year-old.
Ashton, who only signed a new five-year contract 12 months ago, has not played since last September due to a long-standing ankle injury, although he had hoped to be fit for the start of the new season.
West Ham would be unlikely to receive the £7.25million they paid for Ashton in January 2006, with 15 per cent of any fee due to Norwich as a sell-on clause.
Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola has backed new signing Luis Jiminez to be a success in the Premier League.
The Inter Milan midfielder, 25, has arrived on a season's loan with a view to a possible permanent move.
Zola said: "He is one of those players that has the qualities that West Ham supporters like and he will fit very well into our team."
Reader views (3)
" ...he is still a very very good player and that is proven by the fact that the injury he received was when he was with his national side, England" - yes, well Carlton Palmer played for England too!
- Paul, London
Stoke have said they have no significant interest in Ashton and it would be lunacy for West Ham to sell him. Why get £10mil for a striker who is proven in the premier league and just getting fit again if you need double that money to get a replacement?
As much as he is injury prone, he is still a very very good player and that is proven by the fact that the injury he received was when he was with his national side, England. Zola has already said that Dean has an important part to play in the coming season and the thought of Cole and Ashton up front for the Hammers is a scary one for opposition defenders. I hope that this story is simply that, a story with no factual basis.
- Paul R, London
Do as your told Carlos, Kia knows best!
- Mark The Hammer, Bilericay
