Steve Sidwell will quit Chelsea for West Ham United in a shock £5million deal this summer according to a report in this morning's Mirror. 'Midfield dynamo' Sidwell joined the Stamford Bridge jet set on a free transfer but is reported to be frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities. The former Reading star has also been axed from their Champions League squad further prompting doubts about his future under Avram Grant. The article claims Alan Curbishley has now been put on alert and is willing to match the player's lucrative £3million-a-year contract. Sidwell was quietly shopped around during the recent transfer window and while Sunderland, Blackburn and Bolton were all interested no move materialised. The former Reading captain was previously linked with a move to East London back in 2004 and 2005 when Alan Pardew - who had overseen the young Sidwell's career - was known to be a keen admirer.
In other news, youth team full-back Joe Widdowson has joined League Two outfit Rotherham United on a month's loan. The left-sided defender made his debut for the Millers last night in their 3-0 reserve team defeat against Leeds United at Millmoor. The 18-year-old is expected to be named in this weekend's first team squad to face Wycombe Wanderers, who are currently one place behind Rotherham in League Two in sixth place. Widdowson's spell with Rotherham is his second on loan already this season; he previously spent a month with Carlisle United last November/December. Carlisle boss John Ward had wanted to take Widdowson back to Brunton Park in January for a second loan spell but that failed to come to fruition.
Lucas Neill remains adamant that European qualification is still an achievable possibility for the club. One point from the last two matches has made for a pretty miserable February but the skipper is a long way from conceding defeat. "We have obviously lost ground, we lost points and what should have been a really exciting month is starting to look a little bit anti-climactic now," he admitted. "It is definitely two games that we are going to look back at the end of the season and think we should have possibly got maximum points." West Ham United can still possibly move up to ninth spot with a victory against Fulham next time out and close on the top six or seven - especially as Neill's former club Blackburn Rovers were defeated 2-0 at Arsenal on Monday night. "We are all very disappointed but also we had a good chat about what we are going to do here on in. As we all know last year we won seven out of nine games so all is not lost yet," he declared.
In other news, youth team full-back Joe Widdowson has joined League Two outfit Rotherham United on a month's loan. The left-sided defender made his debut for the Millers last night in their 3-0 reserve team defeat against Leeds United at Millmoor. The 18-year-old is expected to be named in this weekend's first team squad to face Wycombe Wanderers, who are currently one place behind Rotherham in League Two in sixth place. Widdowson's spell with Rotherham is his second on loan already this season; he previously spent a month with Carlisle United last November/December. Carlisle boss John Ward had wanted to take Widdowson back to Brunton Park in January for a second loan spell but that failed to come to fruition.
Lucas Neill remains adamant that European qualification is still an achievable possibility for the club. One point from the last two matches has made for a pretty miserable February but the skipper is a long way from conceding defeat. "We have obviously lost ground, we lost points and what should have been a really exciting month is starting to look a little bit anti-climactic now," he admitted. "It is definitely two games that we are going to look back at the end of the season and think we should have possibly got maximum points." West Ham United can still possibly move up to ninth spot with a victory against Fulham next time out and close on the top six or seven - especially as Neill's former club Blackburn Rovers were defeated 2-0 at Arsenal on Monday night. "We are all very disappointed but also we had a good chat about what we are going to do here on in. As we all know last year we won seven out of nine games so all is not lost yet," he declared.
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