CURBS TO STAVE OFF ASH DASH

Manchester United have already been linked with a move for Ashton, who has returned to top form in the closing weeks of the season after overcoming a career-threatening broken ankle.

"Every club outside the top four has this problem every summer. Even Spurs and people like that are going to come under pressure," said Curbishley.

He added: "But since the new group took over West Ham we have tried to push forward and I don't see selling players as a way of pushing forward.

"The people who left last summer (Nigel Reo-Coker, Marlon Harewood, Yossi Benayoun) asked to go and we wanted to have a change around.

"I want to see certain combinations of players that I haven't had a chance to see. I want to play Craig Bellamy with Dean Ashton. I am enthusiastic about when we join up again."

Curbishley, who confirmed West Ham have not had any contact from other clubs over Ashton, meets with the board on Monday to thrash out his own summer transfer plans.