Diame sets sights on top eight

West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame believes the club can achieve a top-eight finish in the Premier League this season.

The 26-year-old featured for the first time during pre-season in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Bournemouth after he was given an extra week’s leave following his involvement with the Senegal national team in June.

West Ham begin their 2013-14 league campaign with a home fixture against newly-promoted Cardiff City on August 17.

And the former Wigan man says he is impressed by the focus of his team-mates, and improvement on last season’s 10th-place finish is achieveable.

“I see everybody is focused to be in the starting XI,” he told the club’s official website.

“Everybody is working hard so this is good for the team.

“We just need to be focused on the first game against Cardiff because we know it is important to start well to make the season easier.

“We have to have our ambition and we know the project of the club, so we need to work to try to finish near the top.

“We are going to try to give our best and make sure to do better than the last season.

“I feel a top-eight finish is achieveable, of course. Why not?”