West Ham star reveals main reason why his summer exit plans failed

West Ham striker Diafra Sakho was keen on leaving the Premier League outfit for Ligue 1 side Rennes during the summer transfer window.

The highlight of his desperation was when he underwent medicals with the French club a day to deadline despite still being a Hammers player.

When fit, the Senegalese has been a regular option off the bench this term, but the few playing minutes afforded him still don’t go down well with him, and he has revealed that leaving the London Stadium is very much in his plans.

Sakho believes West Ham’s failure to land another striker apart from Javier Hernandez was the main reason why the club prevented him from leaving for Rennes.

The former Metz forward revealed all to French journalist Claude Atcheba in an interview. “I still want to leave,” said Sakho.

“I always say it. I don’t hide it. Fans happy or not, I want to change environment. I want to see something else in regard to everything that happened to me. I spent three wonderful years at West Ham.

“Even more I learned that I was the best goal-scorers in activity in regards of all games I played. I can only be happy but overall I want to change my environment to see other things, and I think going to France would be good to find a challenge for my career.

“And why not one day come back here or somewhere else but today I want to change my environment.”

“I just went to the medicals, to see the club, other people. I think both clubs agreed that I go to do the medicals but after maybe there was not enough time for West Ham to allow me to go because they could not find a substitute.

“That’s normal. After I understood and I came back here. But that didn’t change my desire to leave.”