James Collins is in the last year of his contract at West Ham.
West Ham United veteran James Collins has told the London Evening Standard that he will leave the club if he is not offered a new contract, with Brighton reportedly interested.
The 34-year-old is currently in the final year of his contract at the London Stadium, but is concerned that a lack of action over a new deal could suggest that he will be “left in the lurch” at the end of the season.
Collins has been crucial to David Moyes’ revival of West Ham in recent matches, playing 90 minutes of the win over Huddersfield and the draw against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Brighton are said to be considering a £2.5million offer for Collins, but the Wales international is desperate to remain at West Ham. However, he is more than aware that he may have to move on if a new contract is not tabled soon.
“Nothing has been said to me. I don’t know if it’s [talks of a new deal] on the back burner. If nothing happens in January, I could be left in the lurch come the end of the season,” Collins said.
“It’s a situation I would like to get sorted as soon as possible because I don’t like to go into training thinking about it all the time. As far as I’m concerned, I’m still playing as well as ever.
“I would be devastated if I had to go. I did it once before when I went to Aston Villa and it ‘killed’ me. If it comes to the worst, though, I’d probably have to go because, at my age, I need to play football.”
The Hammers currently have an abundance of centre-backs, but Jose Fonte remains sidelined through injury while Winston Reid’s form has been questionable. Reece Oxford could return to Borussia Monchengladbach.
Collins has now clocked up 211 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers during two spells, and although he has even captained the east Londoners this season as well as scoring, his future remains up in the air.
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