Reduced to just two Premier League starts last season due to a persistent back injury, Sakho's return to fitness has not been matched by a first-team comeback this term, with Hammers boss Slaven Bilic offering him only seven substitute appearances and no starts in the current English top-flight campaign.

With the four-year deal he signed with the English club when he moved from Metz due to expire next summer, the striker is keen to leave London sooner rather than later.

"I've had three marvellous years at West Ham. I can only be happy about that, but I still want to leave. I haven't changed, I won't hide it," he told Senego.

"Whether the fans are happy or not, I want to change environment. I want to see something different. I think going to France would be a good challenge with regard to relaunching my career."

After reportedly almost joining West Brom in summer 2016, Sakho was close to moving to Rennes late in the 2017 transfer window. After successfully undergoing a medical at the French club, however, Sakho was unable to complete the move with West Ham refusing to sanction the deal with no replacement readily available.

Fans have not taken kindly to Sakho's clearly-stated intentions, booing him onto the pitch when he emerged from the substitutes' bench against Swansea City in late September, the match in which the Senegal international forward scored the only goal of the game.

"The fans are unhappy with me, that's normal. I have nothing against the fans, the players or the manager," Sakho explained. "But no-one has convinced me to stay."