West Ham United have made a club record £17m bid for Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.
The Reds have already rejected a loan bid from Carroll's former club Newcastle United, supposedly preferring to sell the number nine striker.
Although Liverpool are holding out for a gargantuan £20m fee, the Hammers' offer is generous considering the 23-year-old has only scored 11 goals in 18 months at Anfield.
Reports have suggested Carroll wants to stay and fight for a starting role under new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, but their clash of styles is an obvious stumbling block.
Rodgers was recruited by the Merseyside club because of his positive passing philosophy he encouraged Swansea City to play in the Championship and the Premier League, whereas Carroll is a more direct alternative.
Which makes it logical that Sam Allardyce, famed for a bruising style of play and using strikers as battering rams, would be interested in the England international.
The Irons' current record purchase is Craig Bellamy, bought for £7.5m in 2007 before he transferred to Manchester City in January 2009.
Club owner David Sullivan's son Jack tweeted how his father was "working on the biggest signing in the history of the club" on Wednesday.
Former Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish brought Carroll to L4 in January 2011 for a club record £35m, but he has endured a miserable spell with the club and has struggled for form.
He did however impress at the tail-end of the 2011/12 season, scoring the winner against Everton in the FA Cup semi-final and slamming in a strike past Chelsea in the final.
Carroll also scored in his first start at the European Championship in England's 3-2 win over Sweden.