Tractor-Boys.com

CITY today confirmed a bid worth a total of £7.25m from West Ham for striker Dean Ashton has been accepted by the Board.

West Ham will pay a guaranteed sum of £7m, plus a further £250,000 if certain conditions are achieved. In addition Norwich have secured a sell-on clause guaranteeing them 15% of any profit should Ashton be transferred from West Ham in the future.

Ashton will today travel to London to discuss personal terms with the Premiership club - and subject to reaching agreement with them and passing a medical, is expected to be unveiled as a West Ham player when the Hammers take on Fulham on Monday.

Norwich Chief Executive Neil Doncaster confirmed the bid was received from his West Ham counterpart on Saturday and was duly accepted after full consultation with Manager Nigel Worthington and members of the City Board, around 7pm Saturday evening.

Doncaster also confirmed that £1.5m of the fee is payable immediately to Crewe Alexandra and Ashton himself under the terms of the deal that brought the striker to Carrow Road in a club record deal in January 2005.

Nigel Worthington told First News: "We're always committed to trying to keep our best players at the Club, but the size of today's bid coupled with Dean's desire to make the move happen meant that after talking it through with the Board and the lad himself we've decided to accept this offer.

"If the move does go through, I'd like to place on record my thanks to Dean for his contribution and his professionalism during his time at Norwich and wish him all the very best in his future career. Meanwhile our round-the-clock efforts to strengthen our squad for the crucial months ahead continue."

The player himself paid tribute to the support he has received from Canary fans over the past year.

Ashton, who failed a late fitness test for yesterday's game against Watford, said: "I have had a great year with Norwich and I would like to sincerely thank the fans and everyone I have worked with at Colney and Carrow Road. West Ham are a big club, I am ambitious and at the end of the day the chance of a swift step up to the Premiership is too good to turn down.

"I spoke to Nigel and the Board and told them I wanted to pursue this opportunity. I'd like to thank Norwich for understanding that and allowing myself and my representative to talk to West Ham."

Neil Doncaster said: "Yesterday and over the past few weeks there has been intense speculation about bids we were supposed to have received for Dean. Yesterday we received a bid worth a total of £7.25m from West Ham, plus a sell-on. That's by far the largest bid we have received and a club record by some distance, and after full consultation with the Manager, the Board and the player himself, it was decided it was in the best long-term interests of the Club to accept this offer.

"We have said all along that as soon as there was actual news to announce we would do so."

Also on paper Aston is worth 70 Alan Lee's - now thats insane!!!!

Norwich targeting Sunderland's Andy Gray as a replacement for West Ham-bound Dean Ashton

Doncaster also confirmed that £1.5m of the fee is payable immediately to Crewe Alexandra and Ashton himself under the terms of the deal that brought the striker to Carrow Road in a club record deal in January 2005.

the-mole wrote:

Doncaster also confirmed that £1.5m of the fee is payable immediately to Crewe Alexandra and Ashton himself under the terms of the deal that brought the striker to Carrow Road in a club record deal in January 2005.

Was that 1.5m joint - or 1.5m for both of them??? I.e - crewe receive 1.5m and ashton receives 1.5m???

If that is the case then they have only made 1m profit minus his wages!!!

Gotta admit I don't think it is too great a deal if that is the case. I am pretty sure he won't be sold on for anymore than that hehe.

But it does still raise the question of how Naaaridge can hold out for £7.25m yet we can't seem to keep our youngsters for shi-te!!!

vaalae wrote:

the-mole wrote:

Doncaster also confirmed that £1.5m of the fee is payable immediately to Crewe Alexandra and Ashton himself under the terms of the deal that brought the striker to Carrow Road in a club record deal in January 2005.

Was that 1.5m joint - or 1.5m for both of them??? I.e - crewe receive 1.5m and ashton receives 1.5m???

If that is the case then they have only made 1m profit minus his wages!!!

Gotta admit I don't think it is too great a deal if that is the case. I am pretty sure he won't be sold on for anymore than that hehe.

But it does still raise the question of how Naaaridge can hold out for £7.25m yet we can't seem to keep our youngsters for shi-te!!!

Makes the Bent fee even more annoying....