Football: Illegal 'tapping' of Winston Reid hinted

Winston Reid. Picture / AP

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has hinted that rival English Premier League clubs might have broken transfer rules by "tapping up" Winston Reid.

Reid is out of contract with the Hammers in the off-season and has so far failed to agree to new terms at Upton Park.

FIFA transfer rules allow Reid's handlers to only speak with foreign clubs, yet Reid - who has been one of the best performing defenders in the EPL this season - continues to be linked to English giants Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham.

"He's only allowed to speak to foreign clubs. But can we prove it?" the BBC reported Allardyce saying when the topic was raised at a media conference before West Ham's FA Cup clash with Everton.

"We have had them [regulations] for a long, long time. If you can prove that they [clubs] have broken the rules, then they are in serious trouble aren't they? But you can't prove it these days. You hear rumours, this, that and the other.

"It might have nothing to do with the two clubs directly, it could be between two agents, so how can you relate that [back] to the football clubs? You can't, so it can all get done that way."

Allardyce added: "If he is not going to sign a contract [here], I [would] find it highly unlikely if it is not already verbally done."

"Are other managers getting calls from his agent? You said that, not me," the BBC reported Allardyce saying.

"You have to accept the way it is and contrary to whether it breaks the rules or it doesn't, it happens.

"You are not going to prove it anyway. It is just one of the ways the football world works."

The manager insists West Ham have put "a million offers" to Reid over the past year, but there has been no progress in persuading him to sign a new deal.

"There is no future for Winston Reid at West Ham United at the moment because his contract finishes on June 30," Allardyce said. "So I would say it is highly unlikely that Winston is going to sign for us based on what people are saying to me."