Hammers admit failed Torres swoop

West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has revealed he offered Fernando Torres temporary respite from his Chelsea nightmare during the January transfer window.

Torres is without a goal for Chelsea since October, following a harrowing campaign at Stamford Bridge. Given his disappointing run of form, Sullivan reveals he offered Torres the opportunity to regain his best form at Upton Park.

Well if he couldn't score in the Premier League, come along with us for a month,' said Sullivan.

'We might fire him up. They just said "not at this moment in time".'

The Hammers, who are second in the Championship, brought in two new strikers in the January transfer window in the form of Ricardo Vaz Te, from Barnsley, and Nicky Maynard, from Bristol City.

As for the Spaniard, he is expected to be left out of Chelsea's Champions League last 16 first-leg against Napoli tonight, with Andre Villas-Boas expected to opt for Ivorian international Didier Drogba from the start.

The 27-year-old has scored just five goals since his £50 million move from Liverpool in the last January transfer window.

His purchase has since coincided with a downturn in Chelsea's fortunes, having failed to win a trophy last season, and now under Villas-Boas, struggling to qualify for the Champions League.