Crystal Palace have offered £11 million for Cheik Kouyate as they bid to close a cheap deal for the Senegal midfielder.

But as is the case with Pedro Obiang, who Sampdoria want for the same fee, the Hammers have stuck a £15 million price tag on the player.

With the Hammers having strengthened throughout the squad it’s difficult to see Kouyate being anything near  a first team regular with the likes of Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmelenoko, Mark Noble, Michail Antonio,  Jack Wilshere and even Robert Snodgrass fighting for starts in the middle of the park.

Palace have been in touch with the Hammers with the £11 million offer and we are ready to sell Kouyate but with his contract not running out until 2021 we hold the whip hand on the fee we require.

And that will be a minimum of £15 million although the player himself is looking for vastly improved personal terms which, unless moderated, could see the deal falter.

However, with his game time looking limited this season it looks certain that if he is not sold in this window he looks certain to be gone in January.