Exclusive: Sullivan puts block on West Ham £200,000-a-week new deal

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Published on:

02 Oct 2019, 1:30 am

West Ham have no plans to offer Manuel Pellegrini a new contract despite the team's bright start to the Premier League campaign, Football Insider can reveal.

The Hammers manager is happy and settled at the club and would welcome an invitation to discuss an extension to his deal.

A West Ham source has told Football Insider that co-owner and chairman David Sullivan has put the block on new talks as the board want further evidence of the team's improvement.

Pellegrini, who turned 66 last month, signed a three-year contract worth £10million-a-year when he was appointed in the summer of 2018.

Any new deal would mean a further financial commitment from the London club, with the Chilean likely to demand equivalent or higher terms on his £200,000-a-week current agreement.

West Ham do not believe Pellegrini is interested in alternative opportunities, especially given his age and the fact his salary is higher than nearly every manager in the Premier League.

The hierarchy are likely to wait until next season and late in the manager's current deak before committing to a renewal.

This is a tried and trusted tactic of Sullivan and his boardroom allies as they look to avoid massive compensation payouts to managers who are not delivering.

Pellegrini steered West Ham to a 10th place finish in his debut campaign while overseeing a more attacking brand of football than that of the previous season.

The team are fifth after seven matches this season and have taken the notable scalp of Manchester United in a memorable 2-0 win.

However, they suffered humiliation last week when a second-string side was thrashed 4-0 by third-tier Oxford United in the League Cup.

In other West Ham news, it can be REVEALED that the club have tabled a James Collins offer.

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