West Ham United are preparing to announce the retirement of Dean Ashton in the coming days.

The People says the 26-year-old has a degenerative ankle problem - the result of an injury sustained in a training-ground clash with Shaun Wright-Phillips while on England duty three years ago.

And he has been advised by doctors that he runs the risk of ending up in a wheelchair if he continues to play.

West Ham and Ashton, who earns around £50,000 a week, are hammering out the final details of his insurance payout.