Bellamy and midfielder Scott Parker have already been the subject of a double-bid from Manchester City, reported to be worth £20million, that was rejected by the Hammers.

England defender Matthew Upson is also a potential target for West Ham's Barclays Premier League rivals but Zola is anxious not to sell.

The Italian hopes his close relationship with Bellamy will persuade the Welsh striker to stay at Upton Park.

And he has told Upson and Parker, who are both looking to cement their places in the England squad, that he can make them better players.

Zola is offloading some of his fringe players - Matthew Etherington was sold to Stoke today with others set to follow - but asked whether some members of the squad are untouchable he replied: "Of course I have some players I consider very important for the club and the club knows that.

"We want to keep those players and Bellamy is one of them.

"I know that he's got good teams around him that are tempting him but we want him to stay with us and I hope we can give him something.

"I have a very, very good relationship with Craig. I respect him because he is a perfect professional and I like it when somebody is determined to improve and he has shown that attitude since I came here.

"That is the best a manager can expect from a player and I believe and I hope that he trusts me and respects me for what I am trying to do with him.

"I want him to score and to perform for the team and for myself. At the same time we believe we are offering our players the possibility to improve, to get better and better.

"That is the kind of relationship that I am trying to establish with the players that I am training.

"It will be a very good thing for the club and for me if he stays. We want to take the team to a better level. He can play a big part in helping us to achieve that and he knows that."

Etherington's sale to Stoke is part of Zola's efforts to trim down a swollen squad and the winger could be followed out of the door by Lee Bowyer, who has held talks with Birmingham, Bolton target Calum Davenport and forward Luis Boa Morte.

"I said from the first day this team has a big squad when everyone is fit," Zola explained.

"The only players who are leaving the club are those who, unfortunately, cannot get enough games. That's the only reason why I want them to go, not because I don't like them or don't trust them."

Zola is confident he will be provided money from those sales to buy new players if he wants - but that seems low on the agenda at present.

West Ham have two young Paraguayans on trial - defender Nelson Amarilla and midfielder Juan Aguilar - but Zola is yet to decide whether to offer them a permanent deal.

Although recruitment is predominantly the role of technical director Gianluca Nani, Zola backs their policy of trying to find the world's best young talent.

"The project is to make a team capable of a high level. We cannot compete by spending £200million so we have to do it through getting young players," he said.

"Not all the time we will be looking abroad, we have good young players here like Jack Collison, Freddie Sears and Mark Noble and we are trying to improve them."

"We will make a decision (on the Paraguayans). I think the club will want them to stay."