West Ham rebel offered escape route by Espanyol

Espanyol are ready to rescue Alou Diarra from his West Ham misery and take him to Spain.

Diarra, the France international, launched a stunning outburst on Tuesday in which he lamented the false promises that had led him to Upton Park from Marseille in the summer.

The 31-year-old, whose time in east London has been hampered by injury, has made just four starts in a claret and blue shirt and feels his spell at the club has been a waste of time.

Reports in Spain now suggest Espanyol, the La Liga club, have made the former Liverpool midfielder their main transfer priority for this window and they could make a move for him in the next couple of weeks.