West Ham United manager, Sam Allardyce has confirmed that France international Lassana Diarra is training with the Premier League club.
The Hammers boss is hopeful of signing the 29-year-old, who has been without a club since leaving Russian outfit Lokomotiv Moscow in August.
“He is training with us,” Allardyce said in his news conference ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Southampton. “I’m not sure whether we have finalised a deal yet but he is doing a little bit of training with us.”
The former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder could be turning out for the Boleyn Ground outfit inside the coming weeks, when he must have finally reached match-fitness.
“The deal is very close to being finalised and on the basis of where we are with our squad and the injuries, once we have him fit he will be a very good addition based on his previous record as a footballer,” Allardyce concluded.
The Londoners will be hoping to build on their impressive showing against Manchester United on Sunday. Allardyce agreed his side were hard-donned by United’s “long balls” as Daley Blind rescued a point for the visiting Red Devils in injury-time, canceling out Cheikhou Kouyate’s opener early on in the second half.
West Ham remain in the hunt for a European competition slot next term, seven points from fourth-placed United in eighth position in the table.
“A win against Southampton would be fantastic but we’re taking each game as it comes. If we play like we did on Sunday, we’ll do well,” he added.
“We’ve got 14 games left of the season and we want to maintain our level of performances. We’d like to turn our draws into wins.”
Striker Andy Caroll is expected to be available after limping off against his former club Liverpool ten days ago with an ankle injury, which forced him out of the 1-1 draw with United. They have also been handed another injury boost in James Tomkins, who broke his nose after an incident with Robin van Persie on Sunday.
“Out of the injured players Andy Carroll is the only player who might make it, it’s touch and go. We’ll see how he is tomorrow,” said Allardyce.
“James Tomkins broke his nose on Sunday but he should be available to play.”
The midweek kickoff must have come early enough for James Collins, Winston Reid, Guy Demel, diego Poyet and Doneil Henry.
