West Ham Transfer News: "Total Confusion" Over Mohamed Diame

TeamTalk. Diame only joined the Hammers last summer from Wigan Athletic, and despite a strongly worded statement issued by the player on the club's official website that he is happy with life at Upton Park, his future has once again been cast into uncertainty. There is a well-documented £3.5 million release clause in the player's contract, which we reported last week that Tottenham Hotspur were considering activating, whilst Arsenal are also monitoring developments. Allardyce now accepts that even he has no idea what will happen with the player, and fears losing him if a big club come calling. He said:

"My understanding is that it is total confusion. I am as confused as anyone by what is happening. "I am sat there listening to what is going on (in the media), but deep down inside behind the scenes I speak to the chairman and where we are at the moment we are relatively comfortable regarding Mo Diame. "However, whatever he says to me today might change in an hour's time - if Manchester United ring up in one hour's time, he's not going to want to stay is he? "It can change between now and 11 O'clock Thursday night. In the flick of a text, or an e-mail, or a phone call. "There is certain situations where yes, we might lose the player, I hope we don't. "But if the situation develops accordingly there is going to be the chance we lose him. We are trying to keep him."

Meanwhile, West Ham strengthened their back-line yesterday with the loan signing of former Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz. But any hopes Allardyce might have had of bringing in further defensive cover in the mould of Aston Villa's Stephen Warnock appear to have been dashed, with the 31-year old set to join Leeds United instead. Allardyce continued:

"Stephen we thought was a goer yesterday, but we had another club in the Championship make him a longer-term offer, which he has accepted. "Ours was more a short-term offer with a view to a further and longer deal, but at the end of the day he chose the more secure one. "That was a lot of hard work which went to waste yet again. You constantly waste your time because 99% of the time you don't get what you want. "We have been looking for a defender since late December and it has taken until this week to get Emanuel Pogatetz in."

Allardyce also maintained there has been no offer for striker Carlton Cole, despite reported interest from both Norwich and Turkish club Kasimpasa. "The speculation that goes with it, in the media, is probably fuelled by agents telling you this players going to go there and this player might go here, so on and so forth," Allardyce said.

"It is hugely stressful window as ever and we will all be glad when it's over."