West Ham's pursuit of Chelsea coach Steve Clarke could be taken to the courts.
The Daily Mail says West Ham will not pay the extraordinary £4.8million that Chelsea are demanding in compensation for Clarke, who has less than two years remaining on his £600,000-a-year contract after nearly 21 years at Stamford Bridge. A figure of around £600,000 is seen as realistic at Upton Park to settle the impasse in an amicable way.
But the only way Chelsea can keep Clarke on gardening leave following his unaccepted resignation and West Ham's offer to pay off his contract is to take out a legal injunction, which would devastate Clarke. He was only offered a hike in wages and a more senior training role after announcing his departure.