Hammers to target Delaney

Feb 26 2006 Exclusive By Graham Hill

MARK Delaney will be a summer target for West Ham after his outburst at David O'Leary and the Villa board.

Hammers boss Alan Pardew was keen to sign Delaney in January but O'Leary refused to let him go with a thin squad and no new faces coming in.

Now West Ham, along with a string of other clubs, have been given the green light to come back in for the Wales defender.

Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Portsmouth and Sheffield United, if they are promoted to the Premiership, are all possible destinations for Delaney.

But Pardew would like to take him to Upton Park as he needs a replacement for Thomas Repka, who left the Hammers to join Sparta Prague.

Delaney believes the the club and O'Leary are refusing to give him the long-term backing he wants despite playing a key role in recent weeks in a back four badly hit by injury.

But O'Leary, who saw his side draw 0-0 with Charlton at the Valley yesterday, is concerned by the number of injuries suffered by Delaney.

The Welshman is currently out following a knee problem suffered in the FA Cup tie against Manchester City.

Yet ironically, Delaney may be back earlier than expected and could even face Portsmouth in a game that skipper Olof Mellberg misses through suspension.

By taking up the one-year option on Delaney before next week's deadline, Villa can now command a fee for the player rather than lose him as a free agent in the summer.

The player believes the club will sell him then anyway but, even if they do not, he would face a similar contract dilemma in 12 months.