West Ham have denied that striker Craig Bellamy will be leaving the club.

Rumours surfaced this morning linking the Wales forward with an £8.5million move to Manchester City.

City boss Mark Hughes, who managed Bellamy at both Blackburn Rovers and the Welsh national side, did make an inquiry over the availability of the 29-year-old but it was swiftly rebuffed by the Londoners.

Bellamy has played just nine games and scored four goals since arriving at Upton Park from Liverpool in a £7.5million deal in July 2007.

However, the club has now firmly stated that the pacy forward, who has returned to full training this week following a hamstring injury, is going nowhere.

In a statement posted on the club's official website, Hammers chief executive Scott Duxbury said: "West Ham United have absolutely no intention of selling Craig Bellamy.

"He is under contract and is committed to the club. Craig remains a very important part of our plans for the future."

Duxbury also played down speculation that the club was being forced to cut costs this summer following the departures of Freddie Ljungberg, John Pantsil and Bobby Zamora and the imminent £8million departure of Anton Ferdinand to Sunderland.

"The club is being run on sound football and business principles in order to develop a squad which can deliver success this season," he added.

"No player would be bought or sold unless that helped to achieve that aim.

"We are not interested in selling players who are committed to the club and essential to our first-team squad.

"If a player refuses to sign a new contract or is not crucial to the manager's plans, then we will look at offers on a case-by-case basis. It is the only sensible way to build for the future."

Duxbury also confirmed that the Irons could move to bring in more new players before the closure of the summer transfer window next Monday.

"We have invested in players this summer identified by the manager who add to the quality of the squad and we will continue to do as and when appropriate," he concluded.

[Guardian-Series]

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