West Ham transfer news: Christian Benteke and Michy Batshuayi bids hinted by David Sullivan

The Hammers are ready to table two bids north of £20million for striking talent, the co-owner revealed

Sullivan wants the club to make a 'statement of intent' ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium (Getty)

David Sullivan, co-owner of West Ham United, has confirmed that the club have placed bids for two highly-rated strikers.

The Hammers have been linked with moves for the likes of Liverpool’s Christian Benteke, Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette and Marseille’s Michy Batshuayi in recent months.

Sullivan, while speaking to Sky Sports News, hinted that the club are set to initiate negotiations for at least two of these three targets and submit bids north of £20million.

“We are hopefully going to bring one or two top players in. The Olympic Stadium gives us about £12million extra revenue a year, but not £100million,” he said.

“We put in a bid today for €30million (£23.7million) for a player and other bids will be going in. We are going to make a £20million or £25million bid for a player in England this week. So whatever happens, we'll bring a top striker in.”

The out-of-favour Benteke was reported to be a target for the east London club earlier this year, though his apparent salary of £120,000-a-week was believed to be a stumbling block.

West Ham will say farewell to Upton Park, their home since 1904, when they entertain Manchester United on Tuesday night ahead of this summer’s move to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.

The relocation is expected to earn the club an extra £12milion in revenue each year and Sullivan wishes to make the added income available to manager Slaven Bilic.

“It's a statement of intent. We'll spend between £30million-£50million on transfers this summer. But you've got to build it up gradually. You can't compete with the likes of Manchester United overnight.

“We might have to put our own money in - we've done it before - but we hope we're clever enough for the €30million bid.”

When asked directly about Lacazette and Batshuayi, Sullivan remained tight lipped: “I can't possibly comment. Maybe somebody different - maybe not either of those two.”

Reports in Tuesday morning's The Sun also linked Theo Walcott with a move to east London, though the deal is believed to be separate from those referenced by Sullivan.