West Ham insist in-form striker Carlton Cole is not for sale at any price despite reports that Premier League's big guns are preparing January bids.
Manchester United are the latest club linked with a £20million bid for Hammers hot-shot Cole when the transfer window reopens, with misfiring Liverpool also reportedly interested in a player who has flourished under the tutelage of Gianfranco Zola.
Sir Alex Ferguson wants to add strength to a squad weakened by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez and has identified the England man as a replacement.
Nevertheless, a spokesman at Upton Park insisted that Cole is "not for sale", and added: "We want to keep all our best players and the suggestion that we need to sell because of a financial crisis is not true."
Cole has missed out on England's friendly against Brazil in Qatar on Saturday because of injury but his development under Fabio Capello, as well as the progress he has made working with Zola and Steve Clarke at West Ham, has made him an attractive proposition.
For Ferguson, though, Cole is someone who could play with Wayne Rooney and who offers something different - more of a physical presence - from the forwards he has at Old Trafford.
Ferguson has hardly touched the £80million United received for Ronaldo.
Manchester United are the latest club linked with a £20million bid for Hammers hot-shot Cole when the transfer window reopens, with misfiring Liverpool also reportedly interested in a player who has flourished under the tutelage of Gianfranco Zola.
Sir Alex Ferguson wants to add strength to a squad weakened by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez and has identified the England man as a replacement.
Nevertheless, a spokesman at Upton Park insisted that Cole is "not for sale", and added: "We want to keep all our best players and the suggestion that we need to sell because of a financial crisis is not true."
Cole has missed out on England's friendly against Brazil in Qatar on Saturday because of injury but his development under Fabio Capello, as well as the progress he has made working with Zola and Steve Clarke at West Ham, has made him an attractive proposition.
For Ferguson, though, Cole is someone who could play with Wayne Rooney and who offers something different - more of a physical presence - from the forwards he has at Old Trafford.
Ferguson has hardly touched the £80million United received for Ronaldo.
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