Irons have Reid pay limit

West Ham’s top offer to Winston Reid will be £55,000 as the club negotiates over a new deal.

With no offers from elsewhere the central defender’s advisers aren’t in the strongest position to demand the £75,000 reported exclusively by ClaretandHugh a few days ago.

With just a year left on his contract, the Hammers are refusing to be held to ransom by agents demands on any of their players.

Some observers believe the decision to break a strict pay policy when handing Andy Carroll an £80k a week wage has perhaps made a rod for the club’s back.

And if they are pushed to the limits, the Irons are likely to offer £5,000 more than the current £50,000 ‘ceiling’ to secure Reid on a three or four year deal.

A source told us: “It will be Winston’s decision whether he signs or decides to let his contract run down and  leave on a free next summer.

“It would make no sense for the Hammers to get nothing for him so they would have no alternative but to put a price on his head.

“However, these are very early days in the talks and everybody is still hopeful they can work things out.”