West Ham set to sign Joe Cole on a free

Jan 2, 2013 10:15:00 PM

A deal for the former Hammers captain is expected to be confirmed on Thursday after the 31-year-old negotiated a contract severance with his current club Liverpool

By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Joe Cole has agreed to re-join West Ham from Liverpool on a free transfer, Goal.com understands.

The deal is expected to be confirmed by the London club on Thursday after the former Upton Park favourite travelled to the capital to undertake a medical.

The 31-year-old, who came through the ranks at West Ham and graduated to club captain before joining Chelsea in 2003, was given permission by Liverpool to hold talks with the Hammers after failing to establish himself in Brendan Rodgers' squad.

Barring any late hiccups, Cole will sign for Sam Allardyce's team and begin a second spell with the club where he made his name.

QPR also made a move but Cole has his heart set on a reunion with West Ham.

Cole is set to become the second player to move from Liverpool to West Ham this season, following in the footsteps of former colleague Andy Carroll.

Unlike Carroll, who joined on a season-long loan, Cole's switch will be a permanent transfer.

He is believed to have negotiated a settlement with Liverpool on his £100,000-a-week deal, which still has 18 months to run, which allows West Ham to pay the attacking midfielder a salary more in keeping with their wage structure.

Cole must be registered with the Premier League by midday on Friday if he is to be available for the Hammers' FA Cup tie against Manchester United on Saturday.

Follow Wayne Veysey on

Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached!
Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET!

play

open

Inside Goal.Com

Player Ratings: Siena 1-2 AC Milan
Goal was on hand to judge all the players as Allegri's men finished third in Serie A and secured a Champions League berth next season
Player Ratings: Barcelona 2-1 Valladolid
Goal rates the players on show as the newly-crowned Liga champions cruised past the challenge of Miroslav Djukic's men to keep up hopes of reaching 100 points
Arsenal hold their nerve in top-four battle
Arsene Wenger's side produced a clinical performance to secure a top-four Premier League finish but now they must kick on if they wish to challenge for honours next year
Player Ratings: Newcastle 0-1 Arsenal
Laurent Koscielny's 52nd-minute volley secured the Gunners the win over Alan Pardew's side and made sure they would be playing Champions League football next season
Player Ratings: West Brom 5-5 Man Utd
Sir Alex Ferguson was given a farewell to remember, but certainly not for the right reasons as the Romelu Lukaku-led hosts battled back from three goals down to earn an unlikely point