Ferdinand moves east to help West Ham

West Ham United completed the signing of Tottenham Hotspur's former England striker Les Ferdinand on a short-term deal yesterday.

The 36-year-old has joined the Premiership's bottom club until the end of the season after passing a medical late on Monday. Financial details were not disclosed.

"I still want to play football and I wanted to challenge myself," Ferdinand said. "Although we are rooted to the table at the moment I can see that with the quality in the side and the passion that the lads have shown in the last few days we can work ourselves out of this predicament."

Michael Ricketts, who seems likely to be Ferdinand's replacement at Tottenham, may be dropped from the Bolton side to face Newcastle tonight after having a transfer request granted.

The Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce, made Ricketts train with the reserves yesterday. The striker wants to join Spurs before the transfer window shuts although the clubs cannot agree a fee.

"The only way Michael will get away to a bigger club is by proving he can score goals in the Premiership for Bolton," Allardyce said. "But to think if you don't play so well is going to upset the manager and the board to an extent that they give you away for nothing is the wrong road to go down."

Meanwhile, Bolton have plans to sign two strikers, with the Nantes goalscorer Pierre-Yves André training with them yesterday and talks carrying on for Valencia's Salva Ballesta.