New West Ham United owner David Sullivan is ready to call in a favour from Matthew Upson.

Sullivan will meet the players within the next 24 hours, among them Upson. The defender, who joined from Birmingham, is among those who have wanted to leave.

"I did Matthew an enormous favour letting him come to West Ham, so he owes me, Matthew, big time," Sullivan said.

"You don't want unhappy players. But the players have got us in the state we are in and they are entitled to dig us out. You might have to say to a player, 'Look, we will let you go, but not until the summer and only if we stay in the Premier League. If we go down you will have a year in the Championship. You have caused it, you will pay the price.' "