---
title: "Diafra Sakho nearing return to first team training"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2016/08/12/diafra-sakho-nearing-return-first-team-training/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Sam Brown"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2016-08-12T19:01:59Z"
modified: "2016-08-12T19:01:59Z"
---

# Diafra Sakho nearing return to first team training

West Ham owner David Gold has announced that striker Diafra Sakho is getting closer to being able to return to first team training.

The Senegalese forward has had a turbulent few months with the team.

> Twitter: Diafra Sakho is training hard to regain the right level of fitness so he can rejoin the main squad. dg [https://t.co/PzGkWcs79K](https://t.co/PzGkWcs79K) (@davidgold)

After a thigh injury in November, the 26-year-old spent three months on the sidelines, and was shocked to find that open his return, manager Slaven Bilic gave the nod to Andy Carroll.

Not content with playing second fiddle, Sakho failed to turn up for a match against Arsenal, prompting an apology from the ex-Metz player.

At the conclusion of the season, Sakho again became frustrated with the Hammers as they began to lead a very public search for a new striker.

![Paul Gilham/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readwestham.com/readwestham/2016/08/530287734.jpg)

Convinced he was the best centre-forward on the team, Sakho opted to hand in a transfer request. Refusing to train or travel on the pre-season tour to Austria, it seemed that Sakho may have found his way out of London, by way of a move to West Brom.

A failed medical later, and Sakho was back to square one.

Not being allowed to train with the first team, Sakho has started back on individual training this past week. It seems that given the persistence of the club, Bilic has plans for the Senegal international.

Always outspoken, Gold has claimed that Sakho’s future lies in his own hands.

> Twitter: The Future of Diafra Sakho is now up to Diafra Sakho he plays for a gr8 club in a gr8 stadium in front of g8 fans.dg https://t.co/vtbI02jtfi (@davidgold)