West Ham to spend up to £50m on transfers - Sullivan

West Ham are ready to spend up to £50million as they look to build on Slaven Bilic's promising first season and have already tabled a big-money offer for an unnamed striker, co-owner David Sullivan has revealed.

The Hammers, who will move to the Olympic Stadium next season and remain in the running for European qualification, have been linked with bids for Liverpool's Christian Benteke, Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon and Marseille star Michy Batshuayi.

And Sullivan told Sky Sports: "We are hopefully going to bring one or two top players in. We put in a bid today for €30m (£23.7m) for a top forward in France and other bids will be going in.

"We are going to make a £20m or £25m bid for a player in England this week. So whatever happens, we'll bring a top striker in. 

"It's a statement of intent. We'll spend between £30m-£50m on transfers this summer.

"But you've got to build it up gradually. You can't compete with the likes of Manchester United overnight. The Olympic Stadium gives us about £12m extra revenue a year, but not £100m.

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