• Zola hoping to repay trust of new owners with results
• Benni McCarthy and Benjani Mwaruwari expected to sign

Gianfranco Zola has admitted the completion of the protracted takeover of West Ham United by David Sullivan and David Gold came as “a massive relief”, though the Italian acknowledged that the onus is now on him to steer the club away from the threat of relegation if he is to retain his position at Upton Park.

The new owners stated publicly last week that they retain complete faith in Zola, a relative managerial novice in his first club appointment, despite suggestions that they had considered recruiting Mark Hughes with a short-term brief of staving off relegation. They have since spoken with the Italian on a daily basis as West Ham seek to reinforce their squad, with the Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy and Manchester City’s Benjani Mwaruwari expected to complete moves to Upton Park ahead of the weekend. Blackburn announced they have received a written offer from West Ham for McCarthy.

While strengthening the forward ranks was considered a priority, just as significant has been confirmation that none of West Ham’s key players will need to be sold. “Every window we’ve had to sell someone because of the financial problems, so to know everyone is staying is massive,” said Zola, who had feared losing the likes of Scott Parker and Matthew