EXCLUSIVE: Ful speed ahead as Zamora signs

Striker Zamora’s transfer, which is subject to a medical, should be completed within the next 48 hours.

It means that Fulham, who survived in the Premier League thanks to their goal difference,  have a ready-made replacement for Brian McBride, who has returned to America.

Fulham had been looking to sign Zamora, 27, for some time and beat off competition from a number of other clubs to secure his services.

West Ham will also be happy with the money for a player who was injured for six months of last ­season and who scored just once in 14 appearances. They are also well stocked in attack.

Dean Ashton recently signed a new long-term deal and Craig Bellamy, who made only nine appearances last season due to injury, is back to full fitness.

Carlton Cole showed signs of class last term and there was also the emergence of exciting young forward Freddie Sears.

West Ham will continue to look for new additions too, but fans will not forget the priceless contribution of Zamora, who scored 40 goals in his 152 appearances.

He joined from Tottenham in February 2004 in the deal which took Jermain Defoe to White Hart Lane.

Zamora scored four goals in the last three matches of that season – including the winner in the Championship play-off final victory over Preston, which returned West Ham to the Premier League.

Then, aided and abetted by Carlos Tevez, Zamora scored five times in 10 games, as West Ham won seven of their last nine Premier League matches in the 2006-07 campaign to just avoid relegation.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has also been given permission to talk to West Ham defender John Pantsil.

Hodgson has also opened talks with Rosenborg for their right-back Fredrik Stoor, 24, who played in each of Sweden’s three games at Euro 2008.

Rosenborg head of media Nils Heldal said: “Fulham came to talk about him yesterday and there is still an open channel [of communication].

“The clubs don’t agree on the valuation of the player at the moment but something could happen very shortly.”

Collins John, Fulham’s Dutch striker loaned to Leicester and Watford last season, will be given one final chance to make it alongside Zamora, following McBride’s departure and injury to Diomansy Kamara.

Hammers manager Alan Curbishley, meanwhile, hopes for a massive fitness boost to his squad this season, after they suffered with nightmare injury troubles last term.

None of his new signings at the time, midfielders Kieron Dyer (three) and Julien Faubert (eight) or striker Bellamy (nine), managed double figures in appearances and there were other enforced senior absences.

Curbishley, who was speaking in the club’s review of the 2007-08 season DVD, said: “It has been a very difficult season. I’ve been at the club 18 months and I feel as if every week has been tough.

“But I’ve got to get on with it and I’m one of those people who believes that the next game is another opportunity to send everybody home happy.

“And my big thing is that, this summer, I need to get those injured players fit, to have return dates for them so that I can plan for next season.

“If you’re asking me what I’m looking forward to, with regards to next season, I am looking ­forward to a fully-fit squad. So let’s see what we’ve got because I know that we’re going to enjoy better times.

“I’ve got a squad – when they are fit – that can compete in the Premier League and I’m very enthusiastic about that.”

* ‘Brilliant Tomorrow’ – West Ham 2007-08 Season in Review DVD, is available now from shops and whufc.com (£15.99).