Lukaku rejects Hammers loan deal

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling

West Ham's search for a second striker continues after Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku turned down the chance to join the club on a season long loan.

The Hammers' hopes of convincing the 20 year old, who scored 17 times on loan at West Brom last season, to sign at Upton Park took a big knock yesterday afternoon after Lukaku was included in Chelsea's 25-man squad for their tour of Thailand.

Now all hopes of signing him appear dashed after Blues boss Jose Mourinho promised the Belgium international that he would get his chance at Stamford Bridge next season.

Irons boss Sam Allardyce, having inquired about Lukaku's availability in early May, made a firm offer to the West London club this week but was knocked back and will now pursue other targets. It is thought that the 57 year old still has slim hopes of bringing Lukaku's teammate Demba Ba back to the club where he scored seven goals in 12 games at the end of 2010/2011 season, despite reports last week that the Senegal international rejected a loan move to the Boleyn Ground.

Irons' Lukaku move hangs in balance as Blues chase reinforcements

West Ham's pursuit of Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is still very much on- but will depend on the West London side's own success in the transfer market. 

The Hammers were told by the Blues in May, when they first inquired about Belgium international Lukaku, that no decision on the player's future would be made until a new permanent manager was installed at the club. 

Jose Mourinho has since returned for a second spell in the Stamford Bridge hotseat, but it is understood that he is unwilling to let the 20 year old leave the club, either on loan or on a permanent basis, until a replacement has been signed. 

Chelsea are currently chasing two strikers; Edinson Cavani of Napoli, and Christian Benteke of Aston Villa. The latter handed in a transfer request at Villa Park on Monday night, but the Blues face a transfer wrangle with Premier League rivals Liverpool and Spurs for the powerful frontman's signature. As both of these deals seem likely to drag on all summer long, it seems unlikely that any deal for the Hammers to bring Lukaku to E13 will materialise until the end of August. 

West Ham are, meanwhile, losing their battle to bring another Chelsea forward in Demba Ba to the club. The former Iron is believed to have rejected both the Hammers and West Brom and now could be set for a lucrative move to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala. 

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling