SAM ALLARDYCE is hoping to press West Ham over the next few days to agree a deal for Diafra Sakho.

Allardyce took charge of the England team in the Soccer Aid event last night and his focus will return to the Black Cats’ transfer business this week.

He will not be heading over to France to carry out his own scouting missions during the European Championships, which start on Friday, he has already his transfer targets in mind and, together with his deal makers, is already in negotiations with clubs and players.

Allardyce said: “I’ll be watching Euro 2016 on the TV. I’m not actually going out there. I’m busy trying to improve the squad.

“The end of the season was a great relief for us all at Sunderland. My job now is to strengthen the squad as much as possible to make sure we’re not fighting relegation again.”

Sakho has emerged as the primary target and West Ham are indicating they are willing to do business but are unhappy with how Sunderland’s offer has been structured.

The Hammers would prefer their £15m valuation is met, but even if they are expected to accept less they do not want the amount of add-ons Sunderland are hoping for.

There were claims over the weekend that Sunderland have offered less than half of their £11m bid up front, with the rest due in instalments.

Sunderland have a number of alternatives in mind, with Swansea’s £15m-rated Andre Ayew a target. A move for Crystal Palace defender Martin Kelly has been mooted.

Allardyce is keen to give the squad a new-look for the season, and the departures of Steven Fletcher and Danny Graham at the end of their contracts has left him short of strikers.

Both are being talked up as possible signings for Celtic and the former thinks his old team-mate would be a success at Parkhead.

“He’d be a great player for them. We’re good pals, and I enjoyed my time playing with him,” said Fletcher. “We always used to say he could pin a double decker bus, he can pin anyone.

“He played for Brendan Rodgers at Swansea and Watford so he knows what he’s about. He’s a great player, a big strong lad who can finish as well.”

Fletcher enjoyed his time on loan last season with Marseille, which was a different experience having spent his career with Hibernian, Burnley, Wolves and Sunderland. Having had a taste of it, he would be open to doing it again.

Fletcher said: “Maybe a few years ago I would have said ‘nah, I want to stay in England’ when I had a four-year contract with Sunderland. But now that I have experienced it I would actually be up for it.

“A few years ago I would maybe have been intimidated to go to another country but I enjoyed it and I was at a massive club. It was a privilege to play for them.”

He thinks whoever he plays for next season will have an improved striker to the one whose career at Sunderland was up and down.

Fletcher added: “I learned because of things I’ve never done before as a player. I became a better player because my awareness of where I was on the pitch grew, rather than just being that No 9 that plays with his back to goal, I got to play different positions.

“I played most of my time in the No 10 role, I think I only played two or three games up front actually. And I enjoyed it because it gave you space to play. It added to my game and now that I’m out of contract all that experience is good for another line to put on your CV.”