Gianfranco Zola may quit if Craig Bellamy leaves West Ham

Gianfranco Zola is ready to put his job on the line to keep Craig Bellamy.

West Ham boss Zola is desperate to keep the striker despite interest from Tottenham - who have already had a £6million bid turned down.

Zola has told the Hammers hierarchy he will consider his future if there is a huge fire sale at Upton Park in January.

And the Italian boss privately believes Bellamy is the one player the club cannot afford to lose if they are to stay in the Premier League.

West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury held a crisis meeting with the players to reassure them the club did not need to sell the likes of Bellamy, Robert Green and Matthew Upson.

Hammers owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson suffered huge losses in the Icelandic banking crisis and that has led rival clubs to target the trio..

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