Sakho/Tomkins Sunderland update

Despite continuing rumours suggesting that both Diafra Sakho and James Tomkins are fancied by Sunderland, there has been “absolutely no contact” between the Hammers and Black Cats.

The local newspaper – the Northern Echo is again linking Sak strongly with a Sam Allardyce reunion which given the atmosphre beteen the pair seems odd in the extreme.

Sakho went out of his way to thank David Sullivan for his move to the club after the former manager tried to turn a permanent move into a loan deal.

And this morning a top source inside West Ham repeated assurances that nothing was currently on saying: “There has been no contact whatsoever for either player.

“If something were going to happen one would have expeted to have heard some sort of word by now.”

The Hammers co chairmen enjoy a good relationship with Sunderland chairman Ellis Short and would expect to have been injformed but our soure added: “It’s entirely quiet – nothing.”

Should interest surface in Sakho the Hammers have a £15 minimum price tag attached to him.

The club have consistently claimed that no player will be sold until better ones are brought in and our source said: “That remains very much the case.”