Tom Cairney is not set to join West Ham despite being spotted sitting behind David Moyes during their Premier League game against Chelsea.
Television cameras picked up on the Fulham skipper - a January target for West Ham - being seated near Hammers boss Moyes at Stamford Bridge yesterday.
Cairney was at the game in a personal capacity with former Whites team-mate and good friend Matt Smith.
The Scotland international even told fans on Instagram about his day trip and aimed a dig at Fulham’s local rivals.
He wrote: “Hopefully watch some total football today with the boy even if it is Chelsea.”
West Ham fans flooded social media when they spotted Cairney in the crowd but Moyes played down the speculation.
When asked about the Fulham ace being in attendance at Stamford Bridge, the West Ham boss replied: “No idea, was he?
“If he was then it certainly wasn’t a ticket from us.”
He added: “I was hoping you were going to say Lionel Messi was sitting behind us!”
Cairney is under contract at Craven Cottage until 2021 after putting pen to paper on an extension last summer.
Fulham saw off interest from Newcastle at the start of the season and slapped down West Ham’s hopes in January.
The Championship club could struggle to keep Cairney out of the clutches of Premier League clubs if they fail to win promotion.
However, Slavisa Jokanovic’s side are on a club-record 19-game unbeaten run and are hunting down Cardiff City for automatic promotion.