Sam Allardyce has denied the illness of West Ham's co-chairman David Gold will affect the club’s business in the January transfer window.

Gold, 76, is in hospital recovering from pneumonia after being taken ill following the FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United.

Hammers boss Allardyce revealed he had yet to speak to Gold, who also needed hospital treatment for cholangitis and septicaemia in March 2011, but wished him well and assured fans the club will remain busy on the recruitment front despite his absence.

"Myself and all the players will be wishing him well today”, Allardyce told The Independent. “I only found out yesterday that he was poorly,"

"We will get a message to him in the very near future and wish him a speedy recovery.

"I think that there's always a communication line to him if David needs to (be contacted). In terms of what we're doing at the moment, we're as active as everybody else.

"If there's a player there that we think can improve the squad we'll try to move on him."

One player heavily linked with the Hammers at present is Blackburn’s Martin Olsson.

Rovers had reportedly wanted at least £7million for the 24-year-old Sweden international but Allardyce believes that is wide of the mark, despite their continued interest in the left-back.

"I don't think that's true, no, but we have made an enquiry.

"I think that if I was strengthening anywhere at the moment it would be in the left-back position because of our injury problems in that area at the moment. We are only looking at that position at the minute."