• Cole expected to complete return to former club
• Midfielder started nine Premier League games since 2010
Liverpool's Joe Cole is understood to be undergoing a medical at West Ham United ahead of his proposed return to the club where he began his career.
Cole has started only nine Premier League games since he swapped Chelsea for Liverpool in the summer of 2010.
The midfielder has played the majority of his games with Liverpool in cup competitions and was sent out on loan to Lille last season.
The Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, deemed the 31-year-old surplus to requirements when he took over last summer and Cole is keen to go back to Upton Park, where he began his career back in 1994.
West Ham hope to have him registered before midday on Friday so that he can play in Saturday's FA Cup match against Manchester United.
West Ham will not pay a transfer fee for the England international as Liverpool are prepared to cancel his contract.
The Merseyside club would also pay him a negotiated settlement in order to get his estimated £100,000-a-week salary off the wage bill.
The West Ham midfielder Sebastian Lletget welcomed the club's move for Cole. He tweeted: "Training with my man Joe Cole today, top player, looking forward to it."
Yossi Benayoun, meanwhile, has returned to his parent club Chelsea. Benayoun joined West Ham on loan at the start of the season but his spell has been plagued by injuries and the midfielder has now gone back to Stamford Bridge.
"West Ham United can confirm that the loan of YossiBenayoun15 has ended and he has returned to chelseafc," a statement on West Ham's Twitter feed read.
"The club would like to thank Yossi for his efforts during his second spell with the Hammers and wish him the best of luck for his future career."
Benayoun made six appearances under Sam Allardyce during his second spell at Upton Park, having previously been with the club from 2005 to 2007.
---
Guardian