Alexandre Lacazette transfer latest: Lyon reject West Ham’s mammoth £43m bid for French striker

WEST HAM did offer Lyon £43million for star striker Alexandre Lacazette but were knocked back, according to the French club’s owner.

The Hammers have cash on the hip following their money-saving - and making – move into the Olympic stadium.

But they have struggled to spend their new-found riches with a number of major targets failing to come through.

Co-owner David Sullivan claimed the east London side was interested in Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he was planning to leave PSG but he ended up at Manchester United.

And the fruitless pursuits of Michy Batshuayi and Carlos Bacca left some fans concerned the constant transfer speculation around stars seemingly out of their reach was just a clever ruse to get them buying season tickets.

But the club has now landed Simone Zaza from Juventus on loan to kick-start their season and Jean-Michel Aulas has been on French TV to confirm the Hammers did make a genuinely massive offer that could still not tempt them to do business.

Slaven Bilic has been forced to start the season without the attacking talents of Andy Carroll, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini, due to injury.

And that packed physio room contributed to them crashing out of the Europa League to Romanian minnows Astra.

Thankfully, star man Michail Antonio has put a smile back on the faces of the West Ham faithful with his selection for the Sam Allardyce's first England squad.

And the former Upton Park side still have the time and funds to add to an already packed summer transfer window.