West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce would love to bring Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand back to the Boleyn Ground. Provided West Ham stay in the Premier League, Allardyce hopes the lure of returning to London will help in bringing the centre back to the club.

He said: "If it's at the end of the season and he hasn't got a new contract and he is released by Manchester United, then we would be interested.

"If he wants to live back in London eventually, which is where he comes from, which you know quite a few players want to do when they come to the end of their careers, that is an advantage for us.

"It depends entirely on Rio or which other clubs might be interested in him."