Allardyce waiting on Reid
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce insists Winston Reid is no closer to agreeing a new contract with the club.
Reid, whose current deal expires in the summer, has refused to sign a new deal but reports on Monday suggested the defender had decided to stay with the Hammers.
Allardyce, however, maintains the 26-year-old is still considering his options and is yet to make any indication where his future lies as the Hammers prepare for Chelsea's visit to Upton Park on Wednesday night.
"Winston has an exceptionally good offer on the table," Allardyce said.
"But he won't make a decision to reject it and say, 'no I am not staying' or 'yes, I will take it and I will stay'. We cannot get a decision out of him.
"Unless we torture him - we could do cocktail sticks under the nails or ring up (lead character of television series '24') Jack Bauer and I'm sure he could get the answer out of him."
West Ham have won only once in their last 10 league games and will be looking to resurrect their bid for the European with a win against the Barclays Premier League leaders.
The Blues are fresh from their Capital One Cup victory over Tottenham on Sunday but Allardyce is not expecting Jose Mourinho's side to ease off after their Wembley triumph.
"Jose's sides rarely slip up that way, that's why they're so good," Allardyce said.
"The demand of Chelsea for the players is they're not allowed to be off-form. I expect they'll be efficient in every department, that's why they're top of the league.
"They make fewer mistakes than everybody else. Most games are won on opposition's mistakes, they rarely make mistakes and it makes it more difficult to score against them."
Chelsea manager Mourinho has contract renewals on his mind, too.
John Terry's current deal expires at the end of the 2014-15 campaign but Mourinho insists the 34-year-old will receive a contract extension at Stamford Bridge.
"What I can guarantee is he will be a Chelsea player next season. I can guarantee that," Mourinho said.
"No doubts he's going to get his contract. I know what my board tells me. I also know what the player tells me."
Chelsea policy dictates that players over the age of 30 are offered only 12-month deals.
Terry signed his current contract 48 hours after the end of last season - Mourinho's first back at Stamford Bridge - but his next offer could come soon.
"It will be before the end of the season, for sure," Mourinho added.
Asked if terms had been agreed, but the deal not yet signed, the Blues boss said: "I think it's around that."
Mourinho also believes he has time to find Terry's successor in the centre of the Blues defence after helping to revive a career which appeared to be on the downturn under the Portuguese's predecessor Rafael Benitez.
"This is a process we can take our time, because John is proving again this season that he's a player for years," Mourinho added.
"When I came back (in June 2013) he was coming from a difficult period, but last season he was very good, this season I think even better."
Terry lifted the Capital One Cup on Sunday following a 2-0 win against Tottenham at Wembley. He now has 13 major trophies for the Blues.
It was Mourinho's first trophy of his second spell.
Chelsea resume their bid for a first league title in five years at Upton Park but Mourinho played down the impact of having already won some silverware.
"I don't think this victory brings us to paradise and everything is now beautiful for us," Mourinho said.
"We are just happy, everybody likes to win competitions, but a normal happiness, no more than that."
Chelsea have one game in hand after second-placed Manchester City lost at Liverpool on Sunday.
Mourinho said: "When our direct opponents lose points, it's good for us.
"We have five points advantage, which in this competition is not a lot, because every game is very difficult.
"Mathematics plays a role in all of this - 12 matches to go, 36 points to play, 36 minus five (to City), we need 31 points. The next time we get three points, we need 28 points."
However, Mourinho is not taking the three points for granted against Allardyce's men.
"They can be everything," he added. "Defensively very strong, which they showed against us a few times. They can also be very dangerous in attack."
Mourinho plans to rotate his options but is without midfielders Nemanja Matic (suspended) and John Obi Mikel (knee).
Source: PA
