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CARLTON COLE is a target for Marseille.
The French giants are bossed by Didier Deschamps, who spent the 1999-2000 season at Chelsea, while Cole was in the Blues’ academy.

Deschamps now wants the West Ham and England hitman to boost a Marseille side that has just 17 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games this term.

Championship outfit West Ham value Cole, 28, at £6million. But Marseille, who can offer Champions League football, are not willing to go that high.

SOURCE: The Sun

OK, so how does this work? Marseille, who are competing in the Champions League and finished last season as runners-up in the Ligue 1 title race, need a striker so where does Didier Deschamps look for the answer? Why in the English Championship of course. Where does he think he can find the answer to his goalscoring woes? That’s right, 28 year old Carlton Cole.

This is the same Carlton Cole who is not even a regular in Sam Allardyce’s Hammers starting eleven, the same Carlton Cole who has notched up a whopping 35 goals in 152 appearances for West Ham.

We can only imagine that this rumour is either the result of a rather drunk journalist or an over enthusiastic agent keen to get his 10%!

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Stoke City are preparing a £14million double raid for Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United strikers Peter Crouch and Carlton Cole.

The Potters want to build on the success of last season, which saw them make an appearance in the FA Cup final and enter into Europe, via the Europa League.

Crouch, 30, may be forced out of White Hart Lane with boss Harry Redknapp wanting to add more firepower to his squad and an £8million bid could be enough to persuade Spurs to sell.

Roman Pavlyuchenko, Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane are all on the shelf this summer as chairman Daniel Levy has told Redknapp to sell before buying.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis is also keen to resurrect his deal for Upton Park hit-man Cole, after a £6million transfer collapsed over personal terms.

The 27-year-old is thought to be on around £40,000 at present, with a large goal bonus and is unwilling to take a hefty pay cut.

But Pulis wants to sign five new players before the start of the season with Crouch’s team-mate Wilson Palacios, Mohammed Sissoko and Scott Dann all on the radar.

“If by the end of August we haven’t got four or five players in who can come in to the side and improve us, I will be very disappointed,” said the Stoke boss.

“It’s massively important not to be caught standing still, so we definitely want to be active if we can.”

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Stoke City have agreed a £6million transfer fee with West Ham United for striker Carlton Cole.

The 27-year-old is currently in Switzerland on the Hammers pre-season training tour but will fly back for talks with Potters boss Tony Pulis.

Cole joined West Ham from Chelsea in July 2006 and has scored 42 goals in 165 appearances.

The fee is believed to be an initial £4million with a possible £2million add-ons for a player who only managed five goals last season as West Ham were relegated.

Stoke chairman Peter Coates admits this is not the first occasion Stoke have attempted to sign Cole but is hoping this time a move will come to fruition.

“We have agreed terms with West Ham, that’s done,” he told Sky Sports. “Now it’s a case of can we agree terms with Carlton?

“We come from two different places. He has got an injury problem – he has always had that – and that is a risk you take so we have to factor that in.

“But he is a good player and Tony has always liked him. Manager’s like different players but Tony has always liked him.

“I think we’ve tried to sign him around three times over the past few years without succeeding so maybe we will get somewhere this year.”

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Fulham manager Martin Jol will not comment on rumours of a move for Tottenham Hotspur duo Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley but refused to rule out a swoop.

The Cottagers boss is preparing his side for tonights Europa League first round tie with NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands.

He insists he will need a squad of more than 20 players to make Fulham a force in the Premier League and compete in Europe.

He has been linked with the Spurs pair along with team-mate Robbie Keane, DJ Campbell from Blackpool and West Ham United’s Carlton Cole.

But Jol insists he does not comment on other team’s players but says there will be some new faces arriving at Craven Cottage this summer.

“I will never name names because in this business there are always other clubs watching you,” he said. “We will do that privately.

“I have seen eight or nine names linked with us and that was not true.

“Of course you know there are a few players without a contract now, like [Zoltan] Gera for example.

“We need a couple of additions but I won’t bring players here for the sake of it because we still have young players as well.

“I have to give them a chance to play, to be happy and to develop themselves.

“I think there will be two or three players coming into my squad and I will give them a chance in the next couple of weeks to prove themselves.”

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Stoke City must increase their offer for striker Carlton Cole, according to West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce.

The Potter made an opening offer of £3million, plus various add-ons for the 27-year-old but ‘Big Sam’ insists the Hammers will not be taken advantage of.

Allardyce accepts his club have to balance the books after their relegation from the Premier League last season but stressed players will not be allowed to leave cheaply.

Cole, who only scored five goals in 35 league appearances last season, is expected to leave east London this summer to continue playing in England’s top flight.

“I believe at this stage that the offer is not good enough. It is not to the club’s valuation,” Allardyce told The Sentinel.

“We are keen to keep our key players. However, we have lost our Premier League status and our financial position has to be addressed.

“A part of that might be players are sold back to the Premier League, but only so long as that is right for our club.”

Cole is not the only international expected to leave this summer. Scott Parker, Robert Green and Thomas Hitzlsperger are all looking for new clubs.

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West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has said the club is yet to receive any offers for their England internationals.

Three Lions stars Scott Parker, Robert Green and Carlton Cole were all expected to leave Upton park this summer following the team’s relegation into the Championship.

But Allardyce, who admits is yet to speak to the senior squad players, says no offers have been received but it is likely they will move.

“The speculation is around Rob Green, Carlton Cole and Scott Parker, and at the moment we haven’t had any concrete bids for those players,” he said.

“Other than that there is no rush to sell anyone else.

“We will probably look at moving some of the players on because their desire is to play in Premier League.

“From a financial point of view, it suits us to lose that financial commitment because the drastic loss in revenue [following relegation] is what we all have to face at West Ham.

“Certainly the owners, who’ve got to really back up with their own money to help us try to get back in the Premier League.

“We will try and get as good a squad as we can. There’s some very good players at the club,” he added.

“If we all want to work together and go in the right direction, we can give it our best shot and hopefully that will be enough next season.”

“Before we all get together I’ve got an awful lot to sort out in terms of pre-season training, staffing, relocation for myself, so I’m going to try and do that before the players get back and then speak to them on an individual and group basis.”

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Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is planning an ambitious double striker swoop this summer as he looks to lure two London based England internationals into making a move to St James’ Park. The Magpies manager has had to cope with a decidedly average attack following the deadline day sale of Andy Carroll to Liverpool and now hopes that owner Mike Ashley will provide the funds to bring in some much needed fire-power.

Pardew will look to reunite with West Ham striker Carlton Cole according to the Evening Chronicle and the chances of signing the 27 year old would clearly increase should the East London side fail to beat the drop.

Cole has been in and out of the West Ham side this season having fallen out with manager Avram Grant. The former Chelsea man has however netted 11 goals from 25 starts in all competitions and was the club’s top scorer last season. West Ham co-owner David Gold has admitted that his side would struggle to keep the club’s top performers should they be relegated to the Championship.

Newcastle United may find it harder to snap up their other reported striker target as Pardew is also being linked with a move for another of his former West Ham charges, Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe. The White Hart Lane striker has struggled for form this term and Harry Redknapp is apparently considering selling the 28 year old this summer.

The Daily Express states that Pardew will fight Sunderland boss Steve Bruce to sign the England man who has scored just three Premier League goals this season but is clearly a player that is on the whole a prolific marksman.

Newcastle United have had to depend on the likes of Leon Best, Peter Lovenkrands, Shola Ameobi and Shefki Kuqi for the second half of the season and given that their collective total of 16 goals from a combined 60 plus appearances, it seems fairly clear that Pardew would be looking to bring in reinforcements when the transfer window re-opens.

Carlton Cole and Jermain Defoe are thought to have a combined valuation of around £20-22m which would still see the North-East club having a large chunk of change from the £35m they received from Liverpool for youngster Andy Carroll.

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West Ham United co-owner David Gold will allow the club’s England stars to leave if the Hammers are relegated to the Championship.

Scott Parker, Robert Green, Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole could all be allowed to leave Upton Park unless they can turn around their side’s fortunes.

The Irons are currently bottom of the Premier League, three points off safety with three games remaining. They face a cruch game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Gold understands the need to keep the top players at the club but knows he is facing an uphill battle to hold onto to his stars.

The 74-year-old’s admission may cause controversy, especially after co-owner David Sullivan opted not to attend the 2-1 defeat at Manchester City because of their miserable away form.

“It’s unfair to tell a player to forego your potential England career to come down and play in the Championship,” Gold told the BBC.

“It’s unrealistic to ask an England player to come down and play in the Championship. It impacts on his career.

“Would I try [to prevent it]? Of course, I would try but you would have a one in 10 chance.”

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West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan admits they face a massive firesale in the summer should they be relegated.

Inspirational midfielder Scott Parker would certainly leave if that happened, possibly to Tottenham, while goalkeeper Robert Green, centre-half Matthew Upson, whose contract expires in June, and striker Carlton Cole would head the exodus of high-profile players.

If Avram Grant fails to keep the Hammers from the drop, and that does seem increasingly likely, then there will be a few star turns who will not be too keen on plying their trade in the Championship and co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan will be looking to cut costs so the East London side can expect the vultures to start flying around Upton Park if the worst comes to the worst.

Scott Parker has had a fantastic season and will surely be picked up by a Premier League side keen to bring the determined midfielder to their club and the 30 year old will know that if he wants to keep his spot in the England set-up then he will have no choice other than to leave West Ham. Tottenham are apparently very keen on the former Chelsea and Newcastle United man as Harry Redknapp looks to add more steel to play alongside the silk of Rafael Van der Vaart, Luka Modric, Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale in the White Hart Lane midfield.

Liverpool are apparently keen on James Tomkins as Kenny Dalglish looks to beef up a back line that has two veterans in Jamie Carragher and Sotirios Kyrgiakos and injury prone Daniel Agger and therefore are looking to add to their January signings of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll and are reportedly keen on the England Under 21 international.

Calton Cole has been linked with a move to Newcastle United as Alan Pardew looks to improve his striking options having been left with the battling but not very prolific strikers Shola Ameobi, Shefki Kuqi, Peter Lovenkrands, Leon Best and Nile Ranger.

Robert Green may also be on his way and there are some reports stating that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger may consider making a move for the England international having seen Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone appear to not be in the Gunners manager’s thoughts as far as being the club’s first choice starter.

Matthew Upson has previously been linked with a move to Man City but the likes of Everton and Aston Villa may also plan a move for the experienced England international centre back.

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West Ham United striker Carlton Cole has apologised to Ghana fans for any offence he caused with his jokes on Twitter.

The 27-year-old was fined £20,000 byt the Football Association and warned over his future conduct after accepting an improper conduct charge.

The England international once again used Twitter to make the apology and reveal he wants the fine to go to charity.

“I will be asking to donate the money to a Ghanaian charity of my choice, preferably to a children’s charity,” Cole tweeted

“Hopefully the money will be going to a good cause.

“Sorry if i have offended anyone but there was no malice & harm meant.

“I never knew a light hearted joke would cause so much offence.”

Cole’s comments caused uproar amongst African fans as he implied all the Ghanaian fanms watching their country play England were illegal immigrants.

“Immigration has surrounded the Wembley premises! I knew it was a trap! Hahahaha,” he posted.

“The only way to get out safely is to wear an England jersey and paint your face w/ the St. George’s flag!”

The Professional Footballers’ Association responded to Cole’s punishment by urging players to be more ‘vigilant’ when using social media.

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