West Ham United know they're making a massive gamble by taking time over offers for the club.

The Mail on Sunday says West Ham's owners, troubled Icelandic bank Straumur, are aware that they face a huge gamble in assessing the bidders trying to buy the club, among them the former Birmingham City owners David Gold and David Sullivan.

On initial assessment, none of the bids stands out and it is thought that none will come close to the £100million the bank need to recoup on the club to satisfy creditors and shareholders.

But relegation to the Championship would drive the value of the club down further to about £60m and with debts at £40m and compensation due to Alan Curbishley and Sheffield United totaling almost £40m, Straumur risk getting next to nothing if they don't do a deal soon.