Icelandic striker not coming to Hammers as Big Sam admits he has no back up plan

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has pulled the plug on the deal to sign Iceland international striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.

The 32-year-old, who was released by Stoke City at the end of last season, passed a medical at Upton Park on Thursday and the deal seemed set to go through.

But the Hammers pulled out of the deal when the striker, who was on loan at Fulham last season, failed to make a decision.

“The bottom line was that for me, Eidur had enough time to make a decision,” explained the West Ham manager.

“The time I gave him elapsed so instead of us sitting and waiting for him, I decided from my point of view that it was better to call the deal off.”

Allardyce had made a new striker his top priority in the transfer window and he was frustrated that he could not secure the signature of the player who played under him at Bolton Wanderers.

“I am very disappointed because I thought the deal was done and dusted yesterday,” he said. “But what happened is his father flew in last night and something happened between me finishing with him and his father arriving.

“There must have been another deal that appeared somewhere else, but irrespective of that, Eidur needed to give me a decision, he didn’t, so I made the decision for both of us by nor pursing him.”

Gudjohnsen is said to be having talks with Greek side Panathinaikos, while Allardyce will continue with his striker search.

So has he got a back-up plan?

“Not yet!” he admitted.