West Ham United have taken the unusual step of announcing that they will hold contract talks with Dean Ashton on Friday, but it is not certain that they will meet the forward’s demands. Ashton has asked the club to honour the undertaking that they made in January to give him an improved contract if he performed well this season. Portsmouth, Newcastle United and Manchester City are interested in signing the 24-year-old, who has two years left on his existing deal.

Before offering a new contract to Ashton, West Ham wanted to be certain he had returned to the full fitness and form that he had showed before the broken ankle he suffered at the start of last season. Ashton scored 11 goals this season for the club, including five in his past eight matches, but his appearances have been restricted by the preference of Alan Curbishley, the manager, sometimes to play Carlton Cole as a lone striker.

Ashton is paid about £25,000 a week, which is significantly lower than the wages being paid to many of the players signed by the club in the past year who earn in excess of £60,000.

However, the financial climate at Upton Park has come full circle from when Ashton joined West Ham as the highest earner 2½ years ago, with the club trying to rein in the wage bill. Curbishley is likely to have to sell between six and ten players — Nigel Quashie, Danny Gabbidon and Lee Bowyer are among those seen as expendable — as well as looking for a left back.

Robert Green, the West Ham goalkeeper, feels the present squad can aim higher than the tenth place achieved this season. “We have the potential to challenge for a European spot as the squad is as good as the teams outside the top four,” Green said. “We had a taste of the Uefa Cup two seasons ago and want it again.”

Gianluca Nani, the club’s technical director, has begun to exert his influence by attempting to sign Davide Lanzafame, the Juventus striker, on loan for next season. Lanzafame was loaned to Bari last season and is expected to play for Italy at the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer.