WEST Ham manager Slaven Bilic insists he will not beg players to join the club ahead of next week's transfer deadline.
It is no secret that the Hammers are still searching for a striker to add to their ranks before the transfer window closes on August 31.
Bilic said on Wednesday that he sees Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony as an option while he also refused to rule out a bid for Juventus forward Simone Zaza.
West Ham have already broken their transfer record by bringing in Andre Ayew from Swansea, but he has been ruled out for up to four months with a thigh injury suffered on his debut.
Fellow forwards Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho are also absent for Thursday's crunch Europa League play-off clash against Astra Giurgiu at the London Stadium, with a place in Friday's group-stage draw still in the balance following the 1-1 draw in Romania last week.
A whole host of other names have been linked with the club, with the likes of Michy Batshuayi - now of Chelsea, Alexandre Lacazette and Carlos Bacca, with all three starting the season in fine goalscoring form.
Slaven has an update on the Hammers' striker search ?? https://t.co/244ZorgTMI ?https://t.co/uUNGBSqY2o — West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) August 24, 2016
Columbia international Bacca scored a hat-trick in AC Milan's 3-2 Serie A win over Torino at the weekend and Bilic admits he was someone who was close to signing - but that West Ham pulled the plug when the player began to drag his heels over a move.
"We tried. It was close. It became a saga a little bit," Bilic said.
"I think Bacca is impossible. He scored a hat-trick. Also I was the one who called it off three weeks ago in Austria. I wanted him, of course, but I don't want to have to drag players to West Ham.
"We are not Real Madrid or Manchester United but we are a good club and a proud club with players who are proud to play for us.
"Lots of players want to come to West Ham, believe me. They are calling me every day. So I was the one who said there was no point continuing with Bacca. We are not going to beg anyone to play for us.
"I wasn't angry at him. He is at a great club on great money and he wants to stay on that level. And of course we are not at that level. We want to be in a few years but we are not there yet. I keep saying that just having a stadium, ambition and money that match those clubs, does not make you one of them."
