West Ham insist that striker Carlton Cole is not for sale at any price despite several big clubs being interested.

Reports have suggested that some of the Premier League's big guns are interested in the England international and are preparing bids for the January transfer window.

Manchester United are the latest club linked with a £20million bid for the Hammers hot-shot, with misfiring Liverpool and former club Chelsea also reportedly interested in a player who has flourished under the tutelage of Gianfranco Zola.

Sir Alex Ferguson wants to add some fire-power to his squad - following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez - and has identified the England man as a replacement.

Nevertheless, a spokesman at Upton Park insisted that Cole is "not for sale", and added: "We want to keep all our best players and the suggestion that we need to sell because of a financial crisis is not true."

Cole, who missed out on England's friendly with Brazil last night due to injury, has seen his reputation rise considerably this year as a result of his impressive development under both Zola and national boss Fabio Capello. And he could offer Ferguson the kind of physical presence that is sorely lacking at Old Trafford.

Ferguson has hardly touched the £80million United received for Ronaldo and may well be tempted to make an official bid once the transfer window opens.