West Ham have had a club record bid rejected by Villarreal for striker Cedric Bakambu.
The Telegraph reports that the Hammers bid around €25 million (£22 million) for the DR Congo international, but the offer was rejected by Villarreal, who are keen to hold on to the player who scored 12 goals last season.
Bakambu has been with the The Yellow Submarine since 2015, when he joined from Turkish side Bursaspor after an impressive single season in the Super Lig in which he scored 21 times.
That form continued in Spain, as the 26-year-old scored 22 in his debut season with Villarreal, and while he may not have quite reached those heights last year, his performances have still warranted attention from a number of clubs across Europe, including West Ham.
Slaven Bilic is desperate to bring in forwards to the club this summer after a dismal season in front of goal, and Bakambu fits the bill perfectly, being able to operate as a lone striker or out the wing.
West Ham are also interested in signing Cologne striker Anthony Modeste.
