West Ham: We'll pay Ruud £100k a week

THREE-CLUB CHASE ... Ruud van Nistelrooy

WEST HAM last night made a sensational swoop for Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

New Hammers owners David Gold and David Sullivan have offered the ex-Manchester United star £100,000-a-week to fire them out of their Premier League relegation dogfight.

Dutchman Van Nistelrooy, 33, has been told by Real president Florentino Perez he will not play for them again this season.

Sullivan said: "We've offered £100,000-a-week to a player and we are still not sure we are going to get him.

"It's a very special player. He's got the choice of almost every club in Europe. He has played at the highest level.

"He's down to three clubs and West Ham are the only English club still in the hunt for him."

Stoke have been battling to sign Van on a 2½-year deal.

But the Hammers' new owners are desperate to make a statement of intent despite the club's £110million debt.

Sullivan added: "We can carry one exceptional player who would make a difference on that wage.

"But generally we have to bring the wages down and in the summer we would hope to sign younger players on a fraction of those wages.

"We're in a crisis and you have to have a different strategy to what your long-term strategy will be."

Dutchman Van Nistelrooy wants to go to the World Cup but knows he will need regular first-team football to achieve his aim.

Real want around £2m but could be persuaded to drop their demand to get Van Nistelrooy off their wage bill.

A successful bid for Van Nistelrooy could end the Londoners' interest in Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy.

West Ham had tabled a £1.25m bid but Rovers have demanded at least double that.

A senior Blackburn source said: "We would rather keep Benni here - but if we are going to sell him it will be for a lot more than £1.25m."

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