West Ham facing up to losing Di Canio
The lure of Manchester United could tempt Paolo Di Canio to leave West Ham United, the London club's manager Glenn Roeder reluctantly admitted on Friday.
"Sometimes you have to face facts -- any player would be highly flattered to be linked with Manchester United," Roeder told reporters at West Ham's training ground.
"Manchester United are arguably the biggest club in the world and it would be difficult to convince any player that they should not go there.
"It would be a blow if he went but whether you're a teenager or in your 30s, like Paolo, you have to put yourself in his boots."
Di Canio, 33, has been linked with a move to United this week but Roeder insisted that there had been no communication between the clubs.
"People from Manchester United should say what is exactly is going on, if anything," he said.
"We have had no contact with United and at the moment no deal has been done in terms of a transfer fee -- and that means that Paolo cannot legally have talked to United, or anyone.
TOO BIG A ROLE
"I'm not accusing anyone of skulduggery but agents have too big a role in football these days."
Di Canio's agent Moreno Roggi was quoted in Friday's Times newspaper as saying that negotiations had taken place with United.
Di Canio is set to miss West Ham's FA Cup third round game at Macclesfield on Sunday with what Roeder described as the combination of a tight hamstring and a cold. The manager said he had not spoken to the player for several days.
Roeder said he expected the striker to be back in training next week and added: "My gut feeling is that he will be playing for us against Leicester City (next weekend)."
Some newspapers have suggested that Di Canio may move to United in a swap deal involving Dwight Yorke but Roeder was reluctant to say too much about out-of-favour striker.
"I think its wrong to comment on other players in public, but what I will say is that I've always enjoyed watching Dwight play," he said.
"Whether at Aston Villa or United he's been a star-turn."
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