Liverpool’s bid was too low and too late

A lack of money and time offered by Liverpool meant that a deal for Carlton Cole to leave West Ham was never a reality.

The club did confirm that the star striker was the subject of a bid from their Premier league rivals, but with the offer coming so late in the day, his sale was never going to materialise.

The Hammers are propping up the Premier League table and have yet to register a point.

A source at the club revealed it would have taken silly money for the Hammers to be tempted to sell, while the suggestion of Ryan Babbel making a move in the opposite direction was never a reality.

“The Carlton Cole to Liverpool deal did not go very far,” the source said. “It would have always taken a massive bid for us to accept because of his importance to the club, while the lateness of the bid would have given us little time to bring in a replacement.

“Carlton is more than happy to stay, while we are delighted he is still with us.”

Cole has been the subject of plenty of speculation in the past few weeks with Stoke City and Sunderland apparently keen to purchase the England international.

The striker has pledged his future to the club and it seems the 26-year-old is in it for the long haul.

“I’ve never been happier than where I am. It’d take an awful lot for me to move away. I see my future here at Upton Park, nowhere else,” he said.

‘I’ll never forget West Ham were the club who gave me my big break in the Premier League. I want to repay that faith they had in me.’

“I want to be around to correct last season, we didn’t have the best.

“There’s been talk about other clubs but nothing is worrying me, I am totally focused on West Ham.”

Another player linked with a move away from Upton Park was Scott Parker.

The influential midfielder was the subject of numerous bids by Tottenham, but the north London club gave up on the 29-year-old and did not submit a bid on deadline day.