West Ham 'close to signing Nolan'

By Paul Fletcher
BBC Sport Liverpudlian Nolan joined Newcastle in January 2009 from Bolton Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan is set to rejoin former boss Sam Allardyce at West Ham, BBC Sport understands.

The 28-year-old is still in Newcastle ahead of a medical but it is expected he will soon be reunited with his former Bolton manager at Upton Park.

Magpies team-mate Joey Barton wrote on Twitter: "Just on my way to Ascot, feel sick.

"Great player, leader, captain, person, trainer and mostly a friend for life. Devastated to see him SOLD."

Barton also hinted on Twitter that he along with team-mates Jose Enrique and Jonas Gutierrez could be set to leave the club, writing "#mejoseandjonasnext".

Enrique has yet to respond to the club's offer of a new deal, while Barton's agent claimed earlier this week that his player would not be offered a new contract.

Magpies skipper Nolan is currently recovering from surgery on an ankle injury but is expected to be fit for the start of pre-season training.

He scored 12 goals in the Premier League last season and 18 during the 2009-10 campaign as Newcastle won promotion back to the top flight.

Nolan joined Newcastle for a fee of £4m in January 2009 from Bolton, for whom he made almost 300 appearances after joining as a schoolboy.

The Magpies skipper had been in talks with the Tyneside club over a new contract, but they broke down after the two parties could not agree on the length of an extension.

It is thought that the Hammers, who were relegated from the Premier League, made an initial offer of £1.5m for Nolan.

The former England Under-21 international, who was the Football League player of the year in 2010, had a close relationship with recently recruited Hammers boss Allardyce at Bolton.

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