West Ham United are pushing to sign Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh in January.

The News of the World says the deal will be struck with French club Bordeaux whether or not the Hammers are taken over by new owners.

Chamakh came close to signing for the club in the summer but financially stricken West Ham were unable to stump up the £6million transfer fee on deadline day.

He was being chased by Arsenal last summer but in the end Arsene Wenger withdrew his interest because of Bordeaux's £8million asking price which he felt too excessive for a player he deemed as only a back-up striker.

But manager Gianfranco Zola sees Chamakh as the ideal partner for Carlton Cole and given that the player is out of contract next summer the Hammers could end up picking him up for a cut price £5m.