Theres à nip in the air

English Championship side West Ham have made an offer to acquire Jubilo Iwata and Japanese national team striker Ryoichi Maeda according to Nikkan Sports.

Maeda is set to become free agent after his current two-year contract with Jubilo expires. In addition to his current club offering an extension, he has received interest from fellow J-League side Yokohama F. Marinos as well as other teams.
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The 30-year-old recorded his 250th appearance this season, his 12th with the Shizuoka-based team. He failed to earn a third straight Golden Boot after scoring 20 and 17 goals in 2009 and 2010, but finished the season with a respectable 14 strikes despite mid-summer injuries.

Maeda stood out as a member of this year's Samurai Blue squad, scoring three goals in Japan's championship run at the Asian Cup. He also scored against Tajikistan in World Cup qualifying this fall.

"I definitely want to challenge myself overseas as I'm not getting any younger," the player said in January following his country's Asian Cup victory.

"But right now that's all hypothetical."

Questions are arising, however, of whether the star would be able to earn a UK working permit. Current rules require players to appear in at least 75% of their country's 'A' matches in a two-year span; Maeda would not meet those figures despite having earned eight caps in 2011, but exceptions have been made in the past.

West Ham, currently second in the Championship, are said to have offered Maeda a two-year contract at roughly €1.5 million per year. If accurate, the veteran would earn triple the amount he is believed to be receiving from Jubilo. Maeda would be the second Japanese player in the Championship, following Leicester City defender Yuki Abe.

"It's true that Maeda is on our list [of potential acquisitions]," an un-named West Ham official admitted, according to the paper.

"But we can't comment as to whether or not we've made him an offer."

Theres a nip in the air

Reuters today are saying today that Maeda is "poised to sign...according to local media", but that could just mean there's little real news about and one of their blokes read it on a fan's forum.

West Ham United have decided against signing Japan international Ryoichi Maeda after an unsuccessful trial at the club.

The Jubilo Iwata forward received an invitation in early December to train with the Championship outfit, and has spent the last three days under the watchful eye of Hammers boss Sam Allardyce and his coaching staff.

According to Iwata club president Hiroyuki Yoshino, Maeda will be returning to the J-League side as soon as possible.

"We understand they were unable to agree terms," he told Reuters.

Maeda, who scored 14 goals in 28 league appearances last season, will be disappointed that he may not get another opportunity to play abroad.

"At my age, this is likely my last chance to play overseas and I want to do everything possible to make it happen," the 30 year-old was quoted as saying earlier in the week.