West Ham have turned down a transfer request that Jermain Defoe (20) handed in yesterday less than 24 hours after the club were relegated.
Defoe, who scored 11 goals this season, has two years remaining on his contract.
"I can confirm we are not accepting Jermain Defoe's request," managing director Paul Aldridge told the club's today. "It is unfortunate that he has received advice to put in a request at this time".
Caretaker manager Trevor Brooking said that Defoe's request was badly timed and also suggested he was receiving bad advice.
"Whoever advises him has made an error of judgment and this is not in Jermain's nature - the apparent quickness of the request is not good PR advice for Jermain," Brooking said.
In Monday's statement, via his agent, Defoe said: "As much as I love West Ham I feel that now is the right time for me to move on in my career.
"This is very much a career decision. I am very ambitious and hungry to achieve at the highest levels of the game for both club and country".