City would suit Bellamy - Roberts

Bellamy joined West Ham last summer for £7.5m from Liverpool

Ex-Wales striker Iwan Roberts would not be surprised if Craig Bellamy moved from West Ham to join former manager Mark Hughes at Manchester City.

West Ham issued a statement on Tuesday saying they had "no intention" of selling the 29-year-old Wales captain.

But Roberts says that Bellamy - who could return from injury this Saturday, giving a boost to both club and country - would flourish again under Hughes.

"Mark gets the best out of Craig," said BBC Sport Wales pundit Roberts.

"They've both got an admiration for each other... and Mark knows how to handle Craig.

"So I wouldn't be surprised if once again they join together.

"Looking at Craig, his West Ham career hasn't really taken off because of one injury after another, but it's one of those situations where we just have to wait and see."

Bellamy moved from Liverpool to Upton Park last summer in a £7.5m deal but endured a nightmare first season with the Hammers.

The Wales striker underwent a second abdominal operation in February and has scarcely had better luck this season.

A hamstring injury picked up in a pre-season friendly saw him miss West Ham's Premier League openers plus Wales' friendly with Georgia.

The fear was that Bellamy might miss the first six weeks of the season, but West Ham believe he could be fit for this Saturday's clash with Blackburn.

That would also provide a fillip for Wales manager John Toshack, with their first World Cup qualifier looming on 6 September against Azerbaijan.

606: DEBATE Does Bellamy still have a part to play with West Ham?

Despite only playing a handful of games for West Ham since joining because of injury, West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury says that Bellamy is a key part of manager Alan Curbishley's squad.

"He is under contract and is committed to the club. Craig remains a very important part of our plans for the future," Duxbury added.

"The club is being run on sound football and business principles in order to develop a squad which can deliver success this season.

"No player would be bought or sold unless that helped to achieve that aim.

"We are not interested in selling players who are committed to the club and essential to our first-team squad."