West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan has admitted that the club could lose manager Sam Allardyce next summer due to delayed contract talks.
The 60-year-old's current deal at Upton Park expires next year, although Hammers chiefs have stuck to their policy of not negotiating with a manager until after the season is complete.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Sullivan said: "I must say if come April we are where we are now [in the Premier League table], which is extremely unlikely but is possible, we'd probably sit down a month early and say 'look Sam, do you want to stay or do you want to go?'.
"Sam may decide he wants to go out a winner. He may decide, after four years, it's a very stressful job, he may decide he wants £10m a year which we can't afford. All I will say is we don't have a contract in a draw with another manager. We will sit down with Sam and see if it makes sense for both parties.
"We are very open and honest. We have always said that to Sam and he's very happy with it. Sam is very confident in his own ability. He's confident he could get another job so he's always happy to negotiate at the end of the season or late in the season which has always been our strategy."
West Ham are currently fifth in the Premier League table.
