West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce has apologised for suggesting Winston Reid had been "tapped up" before the Kiwi inked new terms.

Allardyce made the accusation as talks over a new deal dragged on.

"I was wrong, so I admit that," he said when asked if he was surprised to see Reid sign a new deal having questioned whether he had been tapped up.

"For me, if somebody's out of contract like that it would have all been done and dusted by the end of the season, even though it might not have been done and dusted from a paperwork point of view.

"His agent would have sorted out a deal somewhere or other in this country. I was probably more concerned about abroad because it could have been a pre-contract.

"One of the bigger clubs in Europe could have seen what Winston has done here and said "he's the one for us" and taken him abroad so I was obviously wrong."