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West Ham News: Slaven Bilic opens up on bizarre Diafra Sakho transfer situation
SLAVEN BILIC has confirmed Diafra Sakho tried to leave West Ham in the summer.
Slaven Bilic says Diafra Sakho wanted to leave West Ham
Sakho travelled to France to undergo a medical with Ligue 1 outfit Rennes towards the end of the transfer window.
But the Senegal international’s efforts were in vain after he found out West Ham had no interest in selling him.
The 27-year-old striker, who was limited to just four Premier League appearances last season due to injury, has since returned to first-team training with the Hammers.
And speaking ahead of tonight’s (8pm) visit of Huddersfield, Bilic insists Sakho has a future at the London Stadium.
Diafra Sakho tried to force through move to Rennes
Yeah, Diafra wanted to go
Sakho has come off the bench in West Ham’s opening three Premier League games of the season and scored in their EFL Cup win over Cheltenham Town.
"Yeah, Diafra wanted to go,” Bilic told Sky Sports.
"But also, that issue is not quite black and white. Did he have permission, permission on paper or just a form or an SMS? I don't know.
"The fact is he wanted to go there. He did a medical, but the club decided not to sell him and he's back.
"So I told him 'Diafra, you are fit? I know what you can do. Sit there, hopefully now you are going to get fit and I am going to help you get focused here'.
“He's been training. He came back - he flew to Rennes last week, a couple of days before the end of the transfer window - but he's been training since.
"He looks good in training. Hopefully he is going to stay like that for a long time. Because he will know that, until January, he is a West Ham player.
“That's the way he's going to get a new contract, or play again for Senegal, or get a move - if he plays good."