Premier League Rumour Mill: Hammers snap up Bellamy in £25m deal

Chairman Eggert Magnusson has moved quickly to find a replacement for Carlos Tevez, who appears destined for Manchester United.

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But the Hammers will aim to recoup some of the £9m and £80,000-a-week wages - a total outlay of £25m over four years - by playing hardball over the Argentine's transfer to Old Trafford.

Magnusson has been assured by the Premier League that West Ham are due part of the fee that the champions will pay for Tevez.

Sir Alex Ferguson looks set to take the striker on a two-year loan deal costing £10m before having the option to buy the player for a further £10-15m.

Kia Joorabchian, who claims to still part-own Tevez despite assurances to the Premier League that his third-party agreement with the Hammers had been cancelled, will earn as much as £6m from the deal.

"At the moment, no agreement on the transfer of Carlos Tevez has been agreed," a West Ham spokesman said.

It seems inevitable, though, that the player will end up at Old Trafford by the end of next week after he admitted it was a move he had dreamed about.

"For me, Manchester United will be a sensational destination and to be a member of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad will be absolutely spectacular," he said.

"My dream is to be an idol in English football and I can achieve this now."

But West Ham will be heartened by the attitude of the Premier League, who fined the club £5.5m last season for breaching transfer regulations.

"As far as we are concerned any deal to take Carlos Tevez away from West Ham has to be done directly with the club," insisted Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson.

Tevez starred again for his country last night as Javier Mascherano scored the crucial goal 12 minutes from the end to help Argentina book a quarter-final Copa America clash with Peru courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.

Mascherano's Liverpool team-mate Bellamy missed the start of pre-season training yesterday after being told by manager Rafael Benitez that he no longer figured in his plans.

Two of his former clubs - Newcastle, Blackburn - along with Aston Villa, were all thought to be in the hunt for the Welsh captain, but the Hammers' amazing offer has trumped them all.

Bellamy has the pace to frighten any defence in Europe and one of his best displays came in the 2-1 away win in Barcelona last season when the striker and John Arne Riise scored.

However, his nasty side came out before that Champions League match when he swung a golf club at Riise during an argument at a karaoke night.

The Daily Star also claims West Ham striker Bobby Zamora will not leave Upton Park after all but will instead sign a new £56,000-a-week deal.

The 26-year-old former Tottenham striker only signed his current £28,000-a-week deal a year ago but his 11 goals last season have convinced manager Alan Curbishley to keep him on.

Leeds United are ready to sell their prize asset David Healy to Fulham to help pay off their huge tax bill.

The Elland Road club will allow the Northern Ireland record goalscorer to leave for £2m as Leeds chairman Ken Bates tries to whittle away the near £8m Inland Revenue debt at the League One club.

Leeds do have £250,000 in the bank, however, after selling Kevin Nicholls to Preston.

Fulham are also hoping to sign unsettled Blackburn striker Jason Roberts for £3.5m.

Birmingham's prospective new owner Carson Yeung wants boss Steve Bruce to sign players from Hong Kong.

Yeung, who is waiting for his 29.9 per cent to go through, said: "I want more opportunities for Hong Kong players. They have the potential."

Cardiff City are hoping to fend off Rangers and Celtic to sign 32-year-old former England and Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler.

The Bluebirds have offered Fowler a one-year deal, one of three capped players the Welsh club have approached.

Leicester City have made a £2m double bid for Birmingham duo Stephen Clemence and DJ Campbell.

Stoke City are in talks with former Derby and Middlesbrough striker Malcolm Christie.