Hammers hold fire on sale talk

LONDON (AFP) - West Ham's leading shareholder CB Holding said Wednesday they were in no hurry to sell their stake in the Premier League club if offers didn't meet their own valuation.

Former Birmingham City owners David Sullivan and David Gold are understood to have tabled a 50 million pounds takeover bid - around half of what the club think the east London side are worth.

Sullivan and Gold are reportedly also ready to give manager Gianfranco Zola some 20 million pounds for transfers during the January window to bolster a squad struggling to escape the Premier League relegation zone.

But CB Holding, whose position was strengthened this month when their Icelandic parent company Straumur Bank was granted a moratorium on their debts until September, are in no rush.

In a club statement, West Ham said: "Our shareholder CB Holding has made it clear it would like to find new owners for the club in the next three years and that is still the case.

"In recent months we have had a number of approaches from parties interested in investing in West Ham United.

"The club have held a number of discussions with those parties and talks are still ongoing.

"CB Holding is not under pressure to conclude an agreement in the immediate future, but the club will keep supporters informed of any developments when appropriate."