West Ham United face a battle to keep hold of key players Carlton Cole and John Carew - from China!

The Mirror says Ambitious Chinese club Guangzhou R&F want to sign Carew and Cole from West Ham.

The club have just clinched promotion to the Chinese Super League, ironically helped by the goals of another ex-Hammer striker, Marlon Harewood.

However, Harewood is now back in the UK and ­Guangzhou want to replace him with fresh English-based talent.

They have sent an agent to offer lucrative tax-free salaries to Carew and Cole, but sources at Upton Park insist a deal is unlikely.