West Ham reportedly set to keep hold of wantaway player this month

According to reports, Diafra Sakho could be set to remain a West Ham player till the end of the season as his rumoured switch to Crystal Palace is on the brink of collapsing.

The Senegal international had hoped to join French Ligue 1 club Rennes during the past summer and is now said to be on the radar of Palace boss Roy Hodgson.

Palace and the Hammers were said to have agreed on a fee of between £10 million and £12 million when talks over a sale opened this week. However it has since been revealed that a move now appears to be in doubt.

Hodgson was asked about his interest in Sakho on Friday and said: “I’m not prepared to talk about any players. There is bound to be conflicting reports.

“It would be very foolish of me to start commenting on anybody at the moment. We are doing it as best we can and as professionally as we can. It is better to keep quiet on the subject.”