By Chris Wright

Benni gets ready to hug Chris Samba

After seeing their enquiries into Bobby Zamora‘s availability roundly quashed yesterday, West Ham have turned their sights elsewhere. Co-owner David Gold has admitted that the club are now interested in taking Benni McCarthy off Blackburn’s hands.

The South African striker would be available for around £1.25 million and The Hammer’s chief sees the price as good value for a player with proven goalscoring ability at Premier League level.

It is also being reported this morning that manager Gianfranco Zola has made initial contact with Real Madrid with the intention of taking in-demand hitman Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooy to Upton Park in a £2 million deal. The Dutchman has been linked with a host of clubs already this month with Stoke, Liverpool, Tottenham and Galatasaray said to be courting the 33 year old forward.

Can’t see Van Nistelrooy choosing West Ham over Spurs myself, but McCarthy could prove to be an excellent buy if The Hammers can bag him for such a pittance. The man will get goals if given a decent run in the team and, with Carlton Cole and Guilherme Franco both injured, I’m sure McCarthy would get his chance sooner rather than later.

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