Gudjohnsen turns down Reds

West Ham were poised to solve their striker crisis last night by signing Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan from Monaco.

The 31-year-old Icelandic marksman has snubbed an 11th hour move by Liver­pool and is expected to fly into England tonight to seal the four month loan deal.

The Merseyside giants tried to hijack Gudjohnsen's move by matching his personal terms that were thrashed out with the Hammers late on Friday.

But the ex- Barcelona and Chelsea star was keen to link up with Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke, his old friends at Stamford Bridge.

The Hammer's had made a £2million bid for Blackburn's Benni McCarthy, but pulled out of the deal on Thursday when Rovers said they would not entertain a bid until they had found a replacement.

They also made a bid for ex-Manchester striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy, from Real Madrid.

Despite offering him £100,000 a week and a £15 cut of any shirt sold bearing his name, Van Nistelrooy instead decided to join German title chasers Hamburg.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.