New West Ham owner David Sullivan claims the Hammers have offered “far more money” than Tottenham in their bid to sign Ruud van Nistelrooy from Real Madrid.
Sullivan revealed on Thursday he had offered £100,000 a week to a mystery striker but it can now be confirmed that the player in question is Van Nistelrooy, 33, who has played only two games for Madrid this season.
Reports in Spain claim Van Nistelrooy has agreed to join German side Hamburg, but Sullivan remains hopeful of luring the former Manchester United striker back to the Premier League.
“We know Spurs wanted him but we have offered far more money,” Sullivan told ESPN Soccernet. “You could say it doesn’t make sense because I have been critical of others who have overspent at this club, but that is missing the point.
“There has to be different wages for different players, and if we have identified one special player, and strikers are special, we have to pay the going rate to get him.
“And even offering as much as we have done, we are still competing with one foreign club. It’s now down to us and a foreign club, and I believe we shall know in the next 72 hours, but they have a big advantage.
“We are lumbered with a 50% tax rate, the pound is weak against the euro, so it doesn’t make it particularly attractive for a foreign player. But Van Nistelrooy wants to come back to the Premier League so we do have a fighting chance, and we are waiting to hear. But we also have a fallback position or two, because we have identified the need for at least one striker.”
