Pardew turns to McCarthy

The promoted London club are refusing to meet the £8m asking price for Crouch, 24, who made his England debut on the United States tour and is desperate to stay in the top-flight following Southampton's relegation. Liverpool also previously failed with a £6m bid. Crouch will now be a target for Manchester City if Shaun Wright-Phillips moves to Chelsea.

West Ham, meanwhile, have turned their attentions to McCarthy. They are willing to meet the £6m buy-out clause for the South African striker which is £2m more than Blackburn Rovers have already bid for him.

Alan Pardew, the West Ham manager, has made a powerful striker a priority and has already missed out on Strasbourg's Mamadou Niang. West Ham were willing to pay €10m (£7.1m) but the 25-year-old wanted to remain in France and is joining Marseilles for €7m.

Pardew has been given a transfer budget of £20m and was using a chunk of it yesterday with three players undergoing medicals. Paul Konchesky, a left-back or midfielder, will cost £2m from Charlton Athletic while Pardew has also bought Cardiff City's James Collins, 21, and 25-year-old Danny Gabbidon for an initial £3m, rising to £4m on appearances.

West Ham will attempt to sign another midfielder before the start of the season, but have no interest in trying to sign Real Madrid's Luis Figo.