Modibo Maiga is understood to have flown to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday without West Ham United's permission, KUMB has learned.

رسمياً

وقعت ادارة نادي #النصر عقداً رسمياً مع مهاجم نادي ويست هام الانجليزي موديبو مايقا لمدة سنتين

#NFC pic.twitter.com/lCByEvchqn -- نادي النصر السعودي (@AlNassrFC) August 24, 2015

* Wishful thinking - how Al Nassr prematurely announced Maiga's capture last night (Monday).

And a source close to the club revealed this afternoon that the Mali international was due to play for West Ham at Liverpool this weekend - before going AWOL.Maiga was hailed as a new arrival by Saudi club Al Nassr via their social media channels on Monday night. However the player later revealed exclusively to a KUMB source that he had not signed a contract with the reigning Saudi Professional League champions.Meanwhile Slaven Bilic had included Maiga in his plans for Anfield - only to discover that Maiga had flown to the Middle East for a meeting with Al Nassr representatives of his own volition.West Ham are yet to comment on the situation. More to follow on this as it happens.