Football: West Ham to 'torture' Reid

West Ham may have to resort to desperate measures to retain in-demand defender Winston Reid. Photo / Getty

West Ham may have to resort to desperate measures to retain in-demand defender Winston Reid, with coach Sam Allardyce joking about employing torture tactics.

Reid has been linked to a number of top flight clubs throughout the English Premier League campaign and, with the All Whites captain off contract at the end of the season, West Ham are eager to lock up their prized asset.

So eager, in fact, Allardyce joked about bringing in Jack Bauer, a torturer of television show '24' fame, to conduct the negotiations.

"Winston has an exceptionally good offer on the table," Allardyce told Skysports.com. "But he won't make a decision to reject it and say, 'no, I am not staying' or 'yes, I will take it and I will stay'. We cannot get a decision out of him.

"Unless we torture him - we could do cocktail sticks under the nails or ring up Jack Bauer and I'm sure he could get the answer out of him."

That answer looked to be a negative one for much of the season but recent reports in the UK have suggested progress has been made in discussions between the club and the 26-year-old's agents.

Reid has become an integral member of West Ham's defence since joining the London side from Danish team FC Midtjylland in 2010, making 131 appearances and scoring six goals.

The defender has made 27 appearances this season to help West Ham into the top half of the Premier League table, though they are without a win in five games ahead of Thursday's clash with leaders Chelsea.