According to reports in The Sun, West Ham United have held talks with free agent Yaya Toure but are unwilling to offer him a contract.

What's the word, then?

Well, the Ivory Coast international has said previously that he would like to stay in the Premier League after leaving Manchester City following the expiry of his contract last month, and The Sun says that Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini was hoping to be reunited with him.

However, The Sun says that the 35-year-old has since launched a scathing attack on City boss Pep Guardiola, and the east London outfit have all-but given up on bringing the 6ft 2in colossus to the London Stadium.

The report adds that Toure wants a significant signing-on fee and bonuses, which would likely see him earn more than £100,000-a-week.

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Should West Ham give up on him?

In a word, no.

While Toure is clearly getting no younger and perhaps sometimes has a questionable attitude, he would be the final piece of Pellegrini's outstanding summer rebuild of a club that flirted with relegation last term.

The additions of the likes of Issa Diop, Lukasz Fabianski, Jack Wilshere and Andriy Yarmolenko are exciting, while Lazio's Felipe Anderson looks set to finally arrive as well.

Bringing in a player of the experience and quality of Toure would only add to that, and would surely make the Hammers, who should also consider hijacking Lyon's bid to sign a Belgium World Cup ace, real contenders to break into the top six or seven during the 2018/19 campaign – especially given they won’t have the distraction of European football.

He would also be another marquee addition even if on a short-term contract, and while his wage demands are high right now he will know that he may well need to lower them soon if he wants to remain in England.

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