FOOTBALL DIGEST

MANUEL PELLEGRINI (right) insists West Ham turned down the chance to sign Yaya Toure, 35, despite claims from the player’s agent that he snubbed the club. ‘Yaya is a very good player,’ said Pellegrini, once Toure’s manager at Manchester City. ‘But that position was covered. We need money to bring in other positions.’ Toure is now understood to be close to signing for Olympiacos.