• Aston Villa reportedly planning to bid £10m for midfielder
• Co-owner ‘optimistic’ club captain will decide to stay

West Ham remain confident that Scott Parker, the midfielder, will still be playing for the club next season.

Aston Villa are reportedly planning to make a £10m bid for the Hammers’ captain but David Sullivan, the club’s co-owner, said: “I am extremely optimistic that we can persuade him to stay at Upton Park. He is the backbone of our rebuilding plans, the team’s talisman.

“No way do we want a rerun of last season when we finished on 35 points as normally that amount means you’re relegated.

“The last time I spoke to Scott [before the summer break] he was enthusiastic [about] staying. I guess he wants to hear about our plans for rebuilding. And at the moment we have not had any offers for him. We’ve just heard rumours, that’s all.”

West Ham UnitedTransfer windowAston VillaJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk

• Grant confident of having full control of team matters
• Number of new signings in coming weeks, club claim

Avram Grant will be announced as West Ham United manager today. The Israeli will replace Gianfranco Zola and has been assured by David Gold and David Sullivan, the co-owners, that he will be able to keep some of the club’s better players, who include Scott Parker, Matthew Upson and Robert Green.

Grant, who impressed by taking financially stricken Portsmouth to the FA Cup final, is confident that he will be allowed full control of team matters following Gold and Sullivan’s public interventions during Zola’s tenure last season.

A statement on the club’s website read: “West Ham will make a formal announcement of the club’s new manager within the next 24 hours. The club have been conducting a thorough recruitment programme in recent weeks and made excellent progress after considering a number of candidates.

The squad are set to report back for pre-season training on 5 July, meaning the new manager will have plenty of time to put together his squad for the 2010-11 campaign.”

The statement also promised that Grant will be able to recruit fresh personnel. It said: “With the aim to build on the proven international talent in the ranks and exciting youngsters coming through, the club expect a number of new signings to be made over the coming weeks.

“Meanwhile, the club can confirm Luís Boa Morte has been offered a new contract following the release of the retained list of players for the new season. The Portugal midfielder’s existing deal expires on 30