John Hartson was yesterday charged with misconduct by the Football Association for his attack on Eyal Berkovic, prompting an angry reaction by West Ham.
In what is understood to be the first charge over a training-ground incident, the FA acted after viewing a video in which the Welsh striker kicked his West Ham team-mate Berkovic in the head in a session at Chadwell Heath.
West Ham wanted the incident to remain an internal matter after fining Hartson £10,000 and their director of football Peter Storrie blamed "media frenzy" for the FA's intervention.
Now the matter of any further punishment will be taken out of the club's hands if the FA finds Hartson guilty. In that case West Ham could lose the striker for several matches under a suspension.
Whatever the fate of Hartson, the incident may drive Berkovic from Upton Park with Benfica's coach Graeme Souness interested in signing the midfielder for a second time, having brought him to England when Southampton's manager.
Benfica's projected sale of Brian Deane to Middlesbrough for £3 million would liberate the Portuguese club's funds for Berkovic, who would command a similar fee.
Meanwhile Walter Smith yesterday took his spending as Everton manager to £16.5 million with the £4.5 million capture of Ibrahim Bakayoko.
The 21-year-old Ivory Coast international has signed a five-year deal and his arrival will bolster Everton's shot-shy strike force. He could now be plunged straight into the first team for Saturday's Merseyside derby with Liverpool at Goodison.
Bakayoko joined Montpellier in 1995 and built a reputation as one of the top forwards in France during his three years with the club.
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