Matthew Upson has hinted he's ready to stay with West Ham United if manager Gianfranco Zola signs his new contract.

"The longer he stays at the club, the better," said Upson, a target for his former team, Arsenal. "He has a very good relationship with the players and next season could be very interesting.

"We speak about getting into Europe regularly this season - it's a big target.

"And though it's tough to reach the Champions League and break into that top four, there is no reason why we can't do it at West Ham. At the moment, the club is going in the right direction.

"The manager has great tactical awareness and great people skills. He's proved he has good managerial skills."