Stewart Downing
Downing will not be moving to West Ham after a renaissance at Liverpool.

West Ham United have been forced to put the breaks on their summer transfer window spending spree after manager Sam Allardyce admitted the club were unable to afford Liverpool winger Stewart Downing.

Allardyce is interested in signing both Zdravko Kuzmanovic andDuvan Zapata, the latter of which is waiting on a work permit to complete his move from Estudiantes.

The Hammers had also been linked with a move for Downing, who has failed to settle at Liverpool since joining in the summer of 2011, with the ambition of linking him up with ex-red Andy Carroll.

While Carroll and Downing were unable to forge a relationship during their days at Anfield, Allardyce was hoping to reunite the pair in east London, but the West Ham boss has conceded the England winger is beyond the club's price range.

"I wouldn't have thought that we could afford Stewart, unfortunately," Allardyce said when questioned on transfer targets.

Downing revealed in December last year that he was allowed to leave Liverpool in the January window but following a string of impressive performances in the New Year, the 28 year old was retained and was a near ever-present during the remainder of the season.

Despite the additions of Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas, Downing's new lease of life at Liverpool means he has no plans to leave the club, despite rumours regarding West Ham's interest.

"It's not something I am going to consider," said Downing, when questioned on West Ham's interest. "I think there have been a couple of rumours going around and maybe that's because I was told last season I could leave.

"But I have spoken to the manager and he's told me that he's happy for me to stay.

"As far as I see it I'm here to play. He wants to build a squad and not dismantle it. I I'm not in the team and not playing that is a discussion we will have to have then but at the minute I have absolutely no reason to leave."